Lost ‘Star Wars’ Collectible, Thought Missing for Decades, Up for Auction at $400k Starting Bid

A famous piece of Star Wars history, thought for decades to be completely lost, is going under the hammer next month and expected to fetch a staggering price.

An original 20-inch model of an X-wing starfighter used in the climatic space battle in the 1977 classic — believed to be what fans term the elusive "missing X-wing" — is set to be sold on Oct. 14-15 in Dallas, with bidding starting at $400,000.

According to Heritage Auctions, which is handling the collection of late Oscar-nominated model-maker Greg Jein, the model was just one of four “hero” X-Wings known to have been built by George Lucas‘ effects house Industrial Light and Magic.

"Hero" models, the auction site explains, are miniatures used in close-up filming, featuring details such as lights and articulated parts.

"Without question, this Hero X-wing miniature represents the pinnacle of Star Wars artifacts to ever reach the market," Heritage added.

The thought-to-be-lost model has long been a legend among those in the industry. “For those of us that work in visual effects, this model is as significant a find as the ruby red slippers or the Maltese Falcon," VFX historian Gene Kozicki told The Hollywood Reporter.

Jein's collection up for auction next month also features Stormtrooper armor from the same film, as well as props and costumes from Star Trek 2001: A Space Odyssey, another famous franchise he created models for.