Star Wars toys up for auction

Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing uniform is expected to fetch up to £600 while Obi-Wan Kenobi is valued at up to £3,000

A Star Wars fan is selling a collection of 70 toys estimated to be worth up to £100,000.

Craig Stevens, a former chairman of the UK Star Wars Fan Club, has been collecting the toys since he was seven years old.

One of the most prized collectables being sold through Vectis Auctions in Stockton is a figure of bounty hunter Boba Fett valued at up to £15,000.

Mr Stevens said he is selling to fund a new home.

Craig Stevens paid £50 for a figure of Star Wars bounty hunter Boba Fett, which is now valued at up to £15,000

Speaking to BBC Tees' Neil Green, the collector from Croydon, who also works as a Lego artist, said: "I live in a flat, have the rent to pay and a tough wife, so I thought why not sell?

"I'm looking to start a new life, buy a new house and I think the time is right."

The figures were made by Palitoy, a toy maker based in Coalville, Leicestershire, and were released to coincide with the original Star Wars trilogy hitting the cinemas.

Vectis Auctions valuer Kathy Turner said a collection in such a good condition was highly unusual.

She said: "I've not sold something like this before. I very rarely call something actually mint but some of these are in as perfect a condition as you could hope to find them.

"With this type of toy the packaging is of paramount importance."

She said their future value could be much higher, adding: "The market for Star Wars has not peaked, there are only ever more collectors coming in but only a finite number of collectables for them to buy.

"Craig paid £50 for the Boba Fett figure and it could now be worth £15,000, who knows what it could be worth in the future.

"People used to laugh at toy collectors but these are serious investments."

Darth Vader is expected to sell for up to £2,000 while R2-D2 is valued between £1,200 and £1,500