Hake’s Auctions


3679 Concord Rd, York, Pennsylvania 17402
717-434-1600

About Auction House

Founded in 1967 Hake's was the first Pop Culture auction house in the US. After 51 years the company, headquartered in York, PA, continues to be the leader in the field of popular culture artifacts. Each auction offers an array of collectible Comic Books & Original Art, Political Americana, Disneyana, Toys & Action Figures, Sports, Movie Posters, Entertainment Memorabilia, Autographs, Comic Characters, Concert Posters, and all other facets of popular culture.

Auction Previews & News

12 Results
  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s March 19-20 auction offers a bumper crop of unique, top-graded pop culture rarities from legendary collections and revered comic book artists

    “One, two, Freddy’s coming for you”… Duncan Eagleson’s original ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ poster art, estimated at $20K-$35K, blazed the trail for all ‘Nightmare’ visuals to follow A Nightmare On Elm Street Pre-release Movie Poster Original Art By Duncan Eagleson. YORK, Pa. – Turning the pages of Hake’s newly released March 19-20 auction catalog will be a Christmas-morning experience for pop culture collectors. Repeatedly, the expertly-detailed descriptions include such phrases as “highest graded,” “only known example,” or “fresh to the hobby.” Such commentary and accolades aren’t confined to just one category, either. They’re woven throughout the broadly-varied 1,928-lot selection, from original comic-book art to a Dave Grohl handwritten Nirvana set list to sole survivors of the baseball and trading-card realm. Here are highlights of the auction journey Hake’s has in store for fans in their first major event of 2024.  In the poster-collecting world, R-rated posters rule, especially those promoting horror films like Wes Craven’s 1984 slasher classic A Nightmare on Elm Street (NOES). While posters from the “Nightmare” franchise are in constant demand, their rarity pales in comparison to that of the original 1983 pre-release art that launched the famous Elm Street imagery. That particular commissioned artwork, which was created by Duncan Eagleson, has never been offered for public sale – until now. It is the centerpiece of Hake’s March auction and comes with impeccable provenance, as it is consigned by the artist himself.  Eagleson’s airbrushed acrylic painting is a tranquil depiction of a suburban neighborhood at dusk, with one significant difference. Ominously positioned overhead is a huge triple-bladed metal claw that has violently ripped through the sky, a portent of what was to come. Eagleson sized the artwork to suit a 27-inch by 40-inch poster, but it did not go on to be used as the final US movie poster – Matt Peak created that particular artwork, which features four, not three, blades. Eagleson’s art appeared in a pre-release newspaper ad campaign and on posters issued in Europe. To his surprise, it was even featured on the 20th anniversary (2004) release of NOES. His absolutely unique original…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s season finale hits $2.4M, with elusive collectibles setting record prices at their auction debuts

    Chew on this: Rare non-sports gum cards powered through their estimates, with a 1940 ‘Strange True Stories’ set commanding $64K and dark-horse ‘Hee Haw’ set harvesting $22K YORK, Pa. – Hake’s wrapped the year with a $2.4 million auction that traversed the pop-culture panorama, from 19th-century political memorabilia to modern-era toys and original comic book art. The November 14-15 sale defied a collectibles market that had leveled after a prolonged upward run, knocking down excellent prices in an increasingly competitive landscape. Hake’s president, Alex Winter, observed: “With all that is going on in the world, the state of the economy and prices on many collectibles coming down from the dramatic increases of the past two years, none of that had much of an effect on this auction. Countless record prices were paid across the many different categories of collectibles we handle. The sale was a real testament to how strong the hobby can be when collectors are offered the best of the best and the rarest of the rare. We’ve concluded the year at $9.6 million, which nearly matches the corresponding figures for 2021 and 2022, respectively.” The online-only auction opened with a historically important memento, a Washington Cathedral program book from March 31, 1968, inscribed and signed by the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr in the final days of his life. It was at that service that Dr King delivered his last Sunday sermon, and according to Hake’s research, no other MLK autograph previously seen at public auction was signed at a later point in Dr King’s life. The book made its auction debut at Hake’s, and accompanied by a JSA LOA and a letter from the consignor detailing the circumstances by which he obtained the autograph, it sold for $28,556. Another fresh-to-the-market find was a 1953 Our Sports magazine subscription-incentive card bearing the image of beloved Hall of Famer and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. Collectors would have immediately recognized it as the same photo seen on the colorized 1953 Topps card #1 from a now-classic set. The only known example of…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Pop culture rarities line up for their stellar auction debuts at Hake’s Nov. 14-15 auction

    Featured: 150 lots of original comic book art, artist/author-signed comic books, vintage gum card sets, Star Wars, Transformers, Jackie Robinson card, MLK-signed last Sunday sermon book YORK, Pa. – Two things have proved to be true with each successive pop culture auction hosted by Hake’s: bidder engagement has increased over the previous sale, and collectibles once thought to have been apocryphal have surfaced to prove that they do, indeed, exist. All indications point to that trend continuing at Hake’s November 14-15 auction, which is packed with the elusive memorabilia today’s collectors desire but rarely see in the marketplace. 1953 ‘Our Sports’ magazine subscription-incentive baseball card with image of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. It is the same photo seen on the colorized 1953 Topps card that is #1 in a now-classic set. Card is CGC-graded 2.5 Good+. Only known example and never before seen at auction. Lot estimate: $5,000-$10,000 Perennially a strong category for Hake’s, political memorabilia will open the 1,909-lot sale, starting with an item of great historical importance. Lot #1 is a March 31, 1968 church program book from Washington Cathedral, signed by the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr, who delivered his last Sunday sermon at that service. Four days later, Dr King lost his life to an assassin’s bullet. The autograph was obtained by a then-18-year-old college student who went on to become a Washington lawyer. He treasured the memento for 55 years before making the decision to part with it. According to Hake’s research, no other MLK-autographed item ever to come to auction was signed at a later point in Dr King’s life. A framed presentation, the signed book comes with a JSA LOA and a letter from the consignor detailing the circumstances leading up to his fortuitous encounter with the civil rights icon. Estimate: $35,000-$50,000 An 1856 hand-painted folk art parade banner designed in Spencerian style promotes the ultimately unsuccessful Republican presidential/VP candidates John C Fremont and William L Dayton. Hand-inked by artist FW Wells onto two vertical sections of unglazed cotton joined at the center, it is attached…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    Amazing Spider-Man #1 ignites comic book bidding frenzy that ends with an astounding $520,380 auction price at Hake’s

    CGC-graded 9.6 NM+, the coveted Spidey comic from the John B Goodrich collection led a stellar array of pop culture memorabilia that totaled $3.4M YORK, Pa. – A super-clean, CGC 9.6 copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963) – one of only five of its type and grade known to exist – set off a bidding war at Hake’s July 25-26 auction of pop culture memorabilia, rocketing to an astonishing final price of $520,380. The comic had been displayed at Comic-Con in San Diego and attracted huge interest from fans, a sure sign of what was to come. Marvel ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #1 (March 1963), CGC 9.6 NM+, white pages, one of only five CGC 9.6 copies in existence and one of only three in its grade to have been offered for public sale in the past 10 years. Provenance: John B. Goodrich collection. It exceeded its high estimate by more than $170,000, selling for a heart-stopping $520,380. “Collectors knew what made the book special. It came from the John B Goodrich collection, had desirable white pages, and was one of only three at that grade level to reach the auction marketplace in more than a decade,” said Hake’s president, Alex Winter. “Eight months prior to our sale, a CGC 9.6 Spider-Man #1, which had off-white as opposed to white pages, sold for $336,000. Everyone in the comic book world was aware that our July auction was a buying opportunity not to be missed, so the result did not surprise us. Now the winning bidder owns one of the world’s top copies of one of the most important books in the Marvel universe.” More than 300 CGC-certified comic books were offered, including examples of nearly all of Marvel’s key Silver Age titles. The company’s August 1962 production Amazing Fantasy #15, CGC-graded 7.5 VF, is notable for its introduction of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, as well as the character’s cover debut. Like the auction’s top lot, it came with provenance from the Goodrich collection and boasted bright colors and stunning condition overall. It sold at the upper end of its estimate range, for $170,844.…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Amazing Spider-Man #1, CGC-graded 9.6 NM+, could rock the house at Hake’s July 25-26 pop culture auction

    Also Featured: Star Wars Boba Fett prototype action figure & movie prop; original comic book art, Transformers, early sports & political items, Tiffany watches, designer jewelry YORK, Pa. – Hake’s July 25-26 auction of pop culture memorabilia serves as an exciting virtual showcase of “firsts” – first appearances of comic book superheroes, rare first issues, and first iterations of classic action figures. The 1,930-lot sale encompasses dozens of categories of America’s most sought-after collectibles, from political and sports to Star Wars and Transformers, with bidding now available through Hake’s online platform. More than 300 CGC-certified comic books will change hands, including examples of nearly all of Marvel’s key Silver Age titles. “There are even multiple copies of some of the most desirable issues, so it’s definitely going to be a ‘collector’s choice’ auction,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. Without question, the most buzzworthy comic book in the sale is a CGC 9.6 NM+ copy of Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963) with white pages. It is one of only five CGC 9.6 copies known to exist and one of only three at that grade level to reach the auction marketplace in over a decade. The most recently auctioned ASM #1, which had off-white pages as opposed to the more-desirable white pages seen in Hake’s example, sold in 2022 for $336,000. “Even the most advanced comic book collectors are expected to go after the one in our sale with a vengeance, because a better copy might not come to auction anytime soon – if ever. This is a very rare opportunity for collectors to get their hands on an incredible, very high-grade example of this key book,” Winter said. CGC has graded a total of 4,688 Spider-Man #1 comics. The one consigned to Hake’s, from the collection of John B Goodrich, was graded very recently and is one of the seven best copies documented in two decades of record-keeping, The issue will be displayed at Comic-Con from July 19 to 23 in San Diego and is expected to draw huge interest from fans. Kenner, 1979, Star Wars Boba Fett L-slot…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    MVPs in multiple pop culture categories drove in a $2.57M total at Hake’s Premier Auction

    Star Wars figures, Transformers and iconic Hendrix poster among the many record-setters, with nine of the top 10 lots surpassing their high estimates YORK, Pa. – Hake’s served up a pop culture feast at their March 21-22 Premier Auction, with one exciting rarity after another eliciting pre-sale comments like, “I’ve never seen one of those in the marketplace before” or “I never even knew that piece existed.” Closing at $2,570,000 inclusive of buyer’s premium, the two-day event was led by heavy hitters from the baseball, political memorabilia, Star Wars, comic art and vintage toy categories. Many items powered past their high estimates, and some set new world auction records along the way. James M. Cox and Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1920 jugate button, 1-inch diameter, believed to have been a salesman’s sample. One of only six of its type known to exist, this button was the crown jewel of the legendary John Hilhouse collection. Sold for $100,300 against an estimate of $35,000-$50,000 Leading the list of top 10 prices realized was a 1-inch version of the elusive 1920 Cox/Roosevelt jugate button. One of only six of its type known to exist, and likely a salesman’s sample, it was the most highly prized piece in the legendary John Hilhouse collection. Hake’s cataloged it with a $35,000-$50,000 estimate, but collectors had their say and pushed it to a final price of $100,300. Hake’s now holds the world record for selling the top three pinback buttons at auction, including a 1.25-inch Cox/Roosevelt jugate ($185,850, 03/15/2022) and an oversize “Drink Alpen Brau” pictorial button depicting the 1916 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox with a youthful Babe Ruth ($62,980, 09/23/2020). “We thought the Cox/Roosevelt jugate in this sale had a good shot at challenging the high estimate, but we did not see it doubling that number – an incredible result,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. “It is a clear indication of how strong the political memorabilia market is and how many collectors are willing to pay above-estimate prices for genuinely rare items.” The immortal Bambino – Babe Ruth – came out swinging on…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s March 21-22 auction presents fresh collections, prototypes and rarities from political, sports, comic book, toy and pop culture categories

    Featured: 1920 Cox/Roosevelt jugate button, Reagan inaugural license plates, Australian Star Wars Jawa vinyl-cape figure, Ewoks prototypes, Transformers, Ruth & Honus Wagner ephemera YORK, Pa. – Hake’s, America’s foremost source of rare and expertly authenticated pop-culture and historical memorabilia, will launch into the 2023 auction season with a March 21-22 offering of more than 1,900 choice lots from 200+ collector categories. From Star Wars to sports, vintage toys to rock ‘n’ roll, there’s plenty to discover in the print or online catalog. Kenner Star Wars: Ewoks (1985) Series 2 fully painted first-shot prototype action figures of Chief Chirpa with staff, satchel accessories and mismatched B-Wing Pilot aluminum Collectors Coin which Kenner included to show how final product would look; and Paploo with club, horn accessories and mismatched Collectors Coin. Both figures AFA 70 Y-EX+, each with a CIB LOA. Series 2 never saw production despite being shown in 1986 Kenner Toy Fair catalog, making these prototypes extremely rare and desirable. Provenance: Gus Lopez collection. Estimate (each): $10,000-$20,000 Founded in 1967 with a specialty in early political memorabilia, Hake’s has set one auction record after another in that category, handling many of the finest known examples. Last March, Hake’s set a world auction record for a pinback button with the $185,850 sale of a James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate campaign button from the US Presidential election of 1920. That heady price demolished the $70,092 previous auction record for a pinback button of any type, which was achieved by Hake’s with the June 2021 sale of a Babe Ruth 1915 American League Champions button. It could be deja vu all over again when Hake’s offers a 1-inch version of the 1920 Cox/Roosevelt jugate button in its opening session on March 21. An extraordinary rarity, the button is believed to have been a salesman’s sample, as was the case with the 1.25-inch button sold last March. The button entered in this month’s sale is one of only six of its type known to exist. It was the crown jewel of the legendary John Hilhouse collection and is estimated at $35,000-$50,000. A fantastic…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    Defying stock market slump, pop culture rarities drive Hake’s auction to strong $2.4M finish

    Featured: Encased Star Wars 1978 Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi double-telescoping lightsaber action figure $79,178; NZ Mint Mickey Mouse coin $58,410; Don’t Tread On Me Flag, $28,566 YORK, Pa. – Financial markets may be taking a breather, but there’s never a time out for those who pursue investment-grade vintage collectibles. Hake’s, the auction house that lit the fire for America’s pop culture obsession 55 years ago, rang up yet another high-flying auction total on November 15-16, achieving excellent prices across many specialty categories and closing the books at $2.4 million. Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Sold for $79,178 The force remained with Star Wars collectibles, which were led by an extremely rare encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75-inch Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure. It was only the third carded specimen of its type ever to pass through the doors at Hake’s. A SKU on the card’s footer identified it as an earlier production, and with an AFA grade of 75 Ex+/NM to excite collectors, it flew to greater heights, finally stopping at $79,178.  A Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1984) Princess Leia 3.75-inch sample figure inspired widespread competition. Dressed in a solid pink poncho, as opposed to the later camouflage poncho, the figure was affixed to an Imperial Stormtrooper/Snowtrooper blister card because cards for the pre-production Leia figure had not yet been produced. With a notarized CIB Letter of Authenticity, and AFA-graded 60 Y-EX, the prized sample figure reached $42,834 against a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$35,000. Only days before celebrating his 94th birthday, Mickey Mouse stepped into the spotlight along with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on a New Zealand Mint 1-kilo Niue coin made of gleaming .999 fine gold. The Disney superstar is depicted on the coin just as he appeared in his debut animated role as Steamboat Willie. Presented in a wooden display box with a New Zealand Mint COA,…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s Nov. 15-16 auction lineup underscores rock-solid market for Star Wars and surging popularity of vintage video games

    Rare Star Wars action figures led by 1978 double-telescoping Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi estimated at $100K-$200K; video games/consoles range from groundbreaking Atari 2600 to PlayStation 4 YORK, Pa. – The quest for early Star Wars collectibles has reached a fevered pitch, but the auction market tells us the journey is just beginning. Interest in Star Wars items is stronger than ever, especially for prototypes and samples, rare variations, and toys produced in low numbers or no numbers at all. To some, it may seem that Hake’s – the auction house holding numerous world records for Star Wars material – has already sold the ultimate rarities from that wildly popular category. But exciting surprises continue to emerge, some from unexpected sources, and those fresh consignments and new discoveries will be front and center at Hake’s November 15-16 pop culture auction.  Encased Star Wars (1978) 3.75in Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping lightsaber action figure with SKU on footer denoted earlier production, AFA 75 Ex+/NM. Extremely rare and only the third carded specimen of its type ever to be offered by Hake’s. Estimate $100,000-$200,000 The high-end selection of elusive action figures is led by a carded double-telescoping Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi. The encased, 3.75-inch Ben Kenobi 12 Back-A figure is extremely rare and only the third carded example of its type ever to be auctioned by Hake’s. A SKU on the package’s footer identifies the figure as an earlier production, and the mere fact that it is packaged makes it “infinitely rarer” than a loose one, says Hake’s catalog description. Its condition is sure to please, with an AFA grading of 75 EX+/NM. Estimate: $100,000-$200,000 A 3.75-inch sample figure of Princess Leia from Kenner’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1984) line presents the beloved character in a solid pink poncho as opposed to the later camouflage version. Also, its packaging makes it unusual. “The figure is affixed to an Imperial Stormtrooper/ Snowtrooper blister card because, at the time the sample was produced, cards for the Leia figure had not yet been made,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. AFA-graded 60 Y-EX, the…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    Market-watchers pounced on rare original comic strip art at Hake’s $2.7M pop culture memorabilia auction

    Six unpublished concept artworks for Star Wars daily comic strip commanded a hefty $171,505 YORK, Pa. – Original comic strip art continues to solidify its position alongside fine art in the collector marketplace, with the latest proof coming on day two of Hake’s July 26-27 auction of pop culture rarities. Amongst the highlights of the $2.7 million sale was a selection of six consecutive lots of original concept art created in the late 1970s for a proposed Star Wars daily newspaper comic strip. Drawn by legendary comic strip artist Al Williamson (1931-2020) as part of a series of twelve strips, the artworks never saw publication. One of six lots of Al Williamson (1931-2020) original, unpublished concept art that preceded the ‘Star Wars’ daily newspaper comic strip (which was ultimately written and drawn by Russ Manning and ran from 1979-1984). Of 12 proposal strips created by Williamson, the first six were gifted to George Lucas; the other six were given to Star Wars marketing genius Charles Lippincott, whose widow has consigned them to Hake’s. Sold for $46,730 “Six of the artworks were gifted to George Lucas, while the other six were given to Star Wars marketing genius Charles Lippincott (1939-2020),” explained Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. “For more than forty years Mr Lippincott’s six artworks remained with his family until they were consigned to Hake’s by his widow earlier this year.” Offered consecutively, the six lots sold for $171,505, against hopes that they would reach a combined $100,000. Winter added: “It was a great result, and the consignor was pleased, which is how we ultimately define ‘success.’” One of the most sought-after of original comic book artworks in the sale was the Gil Kane/Dick Giordano seven-panel art for Page 27 of Marvel Premiere #15, published in May 1974. This issue saw the debut of the popular Marvel martial artist/superhero Iron Fist. Exceeding its high estimate, the pen-and-ink work sold for $20,350. Similarly, Al Plastino’s original art for the splash page (Page 1) of Superman #184 (DC Comics, February 1966), was bid to $15,055 against an estimate of $5,000-$10,000. A world auction…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s July 26-27 auction led by Star Wars comic strip original concept art, high-grade Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype figure, trove of pop culture rarities

    Featured: 1 of 5 known 1888-89 cabinet cards for baseball Hall of Famer Mike ‘King’ Kelly, smallest size 1920 Cox/Roosevelt campaign button, key Marvel comics, important comic art  1888-89 N173 Old Judge (Cigarettes) mail-in premium cabinet card depicting baseball Hall of Famer Mike ‘King’ Kelly, Captain of the Boston Beaneaters, rare street-clothes version, size: 4.25in x 6.5in. One of only five known examples and only the third to appear at auction. SGC-graded 2.5 Good+. Estimate $75,000-$100,000 YORK, Pa. – If modern art aficionados could be granted one wish, it might be the discovery of a major, previously unknown Picasso. While Picasso lovers may have a very long wait ahead of them, those who revel in the uniquely imaginative art and imagery of the Star Wars saga just might have their wishes granted later this month, when Hake’s auctions six extraordinary artworks from Star Wars’ earliest days.  The July 26-27 auction of pop culture memorabilia includes six consecutive lots of original Star Wars art that only a small circle of insiders would even know about. Each lot contains unpublished concept art that legendary comic strip artist Al Williamson (1931-2020) created in the late 1970s for a proposed Star Wars daily newspaper comic strip. Williamson, already regarded as a titan of the industry for his work with EC Comics and for having drawn the 1960s Flash Gordon comic strip, prepared 12 strips to cover the first two weeks of newspaper publication (Sundays were not included). However, the deal never came to fruition. Russ Manning (1929-1981) was tapped to write and draw the Star Wars strip, which he did from 1979 to 1981, when poor health forced him to retire. At that point, Williamson stepped back in to handle the art and storyline duties through the strip’s conclusion in 1984.  As for the disposition of the original Williamson concept art, the first six strips were gifted to George Lucas, while the six strips intended for the second week of publication were given to Star Wars marketing genius Charles Lippincott (1939-2020). “Mr Lippincott’s six gifted artworks never left his family, and now it is…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    Boba Fett rocket-firing prototype sells for world-record $236,000 at Hake’s June 2 Star Wars specialty auction

    Star Wars collectibles in company’s last two sales have earned a combined $2.1 million Star Wars - Boba Fett Rocket-firing Prototype (L-slot) Afa 80+ Nm Action Figure. YORK, Pa. – The enduring, multigenerational appeal of Star Wars action figures and related collectibles was never more obvious than last night, as Hake’s first-ever Special Event Auction featuring memorabilia from the legendary franchise closed the books at $903,000. The online auction, whose final bid was received at 11:14 p.m., achieved a 100% sell-through rate and set multiple new world records in so doing. In Hake’s last two auctions, 500 lots of Star Wars material have sold for a combined $2.1 million. “We’re very pleased with the results from our Star Wars Special Event Auction,” said Hake’s president Alex Winter. “Star Wars has become an important part of our premier events, accounting for a strong percentage of the auction totals. Choosing to hold a Star Wars-only auction was an easy decision because we know our customers are hungry for the cream of the crop from Star Wars collectibles.” The predicted top item, a Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype, AFA 80+ NM, soared to a record-setting $236,000. This prototype is famous in collecting circles because it was pulled from Kenner’s 1979 Star Wars toyline when the rocket-firing aspect was deemed a choking hazard. The 3¾-inch figure is unpainted and has the L-slot mechanism (named for its shape). “This sale set a new record for any rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype,” Winter said, pointing out that it beat the record Hake’s just set for a J-slot graded AFA 50, which sold for $204,435 in their March 2022 auction. “What makes that so incredible is that it’s not the rarer J-slot and it’s in a lower grade than other L-slots we’ve sold.” One of the auction’s key rarities was the Jawa (vinyl cape), 12-back-A AFA 80 NM, that achieved $40,887, a world-record price for any Jawa figure. The 2¼-inch-tall figure comes on an unpunched card, wearing the initial vinyl cape. Later Jawas were repackaged with a cloth cape. Every auction has a surprise, and on June 2nd that distinction went to a Hungarian bootleg Return of the Jedi Boba…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s launches new Special Event auction series devoted exclusively to rarest of Star Wars collectibles, with bidding through June 2

    Sought-after 80+ NM Boba Fett L-slot rocket-firing prototype leads solid 201-lot auction of predominantly AFA-graded items YORK, Pa. – In the investment-obsessed world of fine art, scarcely a week goes by without some new auction record being set, either for a particular artist or art genre. Hake’s Auctions, the groundbreaking Pennsylvania company that has specialized in pop culture memorabilia since 1967, also rewrites the record books with regularity, but not with Picassos or Van Goghs. It has become known as “The House of Star Wars” because of its consistent ability to achieve world-record prices for prototypes and other rarities from the fabled sci-fi film franchise. With collector demand at an all-time high, Hake’s has responded to the call by adding something new to its roster: an online auction dedicated exclusively to Star Wars memorabilia. The debut “Special Event” has opened for bidding and will run through June 2nd. Top: 1979 Toy Center store display in encapsulated case, AFA-graded 60 EX, Star Wars Action Figures text plus graphics that include Darth Vader, TIE Fighters, X-Wing Fighters; 24 x 40in long. Estimate $5,000-$10,000. Bottom: 1978 Toy Galaxy double-sided bell-shape hanger, AFA-graded 90 NM+/Mint, 16 x 18in long, graphics include Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia as seen on the Star Wars movie poster by The Brothers Hildebrandt, plus Darth Vader’s TIE Fighters battling X-Wing Fighters. Estimate: $5,000-$10,000 “When an auction house recognizes that a collecting trend has become a sensation, the next logical step is to introduce a specialty sale dedicated to that particular category,” said Hake’s president, Alex Winter. “That’s what has happened with Star Wars collectibles, and it’s why we decided to add a new auction loaded with the best of the best and the rarest of the rare.” The market started signaling the future for vintage Star Wars items four to five years ago, with Hake’s auction results firing off the cannon, time and again. On November 16, 2017, a Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi 12 Back-A double-telescoping action figure, AFA-graded 80NM, started the ball rolling with an auction price of $76,700. Then came the era of Boba Fett, with stunning prices…

  • Auction Result, Press Release
    Hake’s March 15-16 auction hits $3.2M, sets multiple world records including $204,435 price realized for Star Wars Boba Fett rocket-firing prototype action figure

    1920 Cox/Roosevelt campaign button declares victory at $185,850, handily surpassing previous record for a pinback: Hake’s $70,092 sale of a Babe Ruth/Red Sox button in 2021 YORK, Pa. – Record-setting prices just kept on coming at Hake’s $3.2 million online auction of pop culture rarities and didn’t stop until the last-minute clash of the titans that determined ownership of the sale’s top lot: a Star Wars Boba Fett “J-slot” rocket-firing prototype action figure. Conceived by Kenner in 1979, the J-slot Boba Fett Version 2 was designed with a J-shape triggering mechanism on its back for firing off rockets, but the toy never made it to the production stage due to safety concerns. On that basis alone, the pre-production archetypes became immediate rarities, but more than four decades of Star Wars mania have catapulted the J-slot prototype to an extraterrestrial level of desirability. The coveted example offered by Hake’s ignited a bidding war that ended at a sky-high $204,435 – a new auction record for any Star Wars action figure. James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate button, 1.25in size, one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design; the first of its type to reach the marketplace in 40 years. Sold for $185,850, a world auction record for a pinback button of any type “Bidding on the figure remained static at just under $100,000 until right before the initial 20-minute clock ran out at 9 pm. At that point, two bidders starting going back and forth with their bids, waiting each time till the renewed clock had almost run out of time,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. “The competition was still going strong two-and-a-half hours later. I think each of the bidders might have been hoping the other would fall asleep. But they went at it strategically, and we were more than happy to wait as long as it took to get a record-setting result like that.”  The previous world auction record for a Star Wars prototype action figure was set in 2019 (also by Hake’s) with the $185,850 sale of…

  • Auction Industry, Press Release
    Hake’s follows up $10M year with March 15-16 auction of ‘unicorns,’ including incomparable prizes from Star Wars, Cuban baseball and political button categories

    Featured: Kenner Boba Fett J-slot rocket-firing prototype action figure, Cox/FDR jugate button not seen at auction for 40 years, only known Jose “Black Diamond” Mendez baseball card YORK, Pa. – Pop culture fans reacted with stunned disbelief, then excitement, last November when Hake’s sold a Captain American “hero-prop” shield used by Chris Evans in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. The pristine star-emblazoned shield commanded $259,540, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Marvel movie prop and the top price recorded in any sale of Hake’s record-setting $10 million year. However, America’s oldest collectibles auction house is not one to rest on its laurels, as the jaw-dropping lineup just announced for their March 15-16 auction clearly shows. James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate button, 1.25in size, one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design; the first of its type to reach the marketplace in 40 years. Considered the ultimate political button, on par with a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card or ‘Action Comics’ #1. Estimate $100,000-$200,000 “There are pieces in this auction that may never appear for public sale again in some bidders’ lifetimes,” said Alex Winter, president of Hake’s Auctions. “They’re items that are either unique in the dictionary sense of the word or so rare that they would likely become the prized jewel of a collection and remain there. A perfect example is the auction opener, a political button of a type that has not been seen in the open marketplace for 40 years.” Winter refers to a James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate campaign button from the US Presidential election of 1920. It is one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design. Of the six, three are held in the Cox family collection and two others are locked deeply into a fabled East Coast collection. The example offered by Hake’s will surely attract “intense bidding interest,” Winter said. “In the field of political button collecting, it is in the same rarefied league as a Honus Wagner T206 baseball…