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Associated Press

Darth Vader's light saber used in duel sells for record-breaking sum

1:02pm
The climactic duel in Cloud City where Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker "I am your father".

The climactic duel in Cloud City where Darth Vader tells Luke Skywalker "I am your father". (Source: Supplied)

A light saber used by Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sold Friday for nearly US$5 million (NZ$9 million) in an auction.

The light saber, which was used in the climactic duel in Cloud City where Vader tells Luke Skywalker "I am your father," sold for US$4.875 million (NZ$5.982 million) at the Ultimate Star Wars Auction held by Heritage Auctions.

The sale marked a world auction record for any Star Wars collectible, according to Heritage Auctions.

This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film The Empire Strikes Back.

This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film The Empire Strikes Back. (Source: Associated Press)

The sale also established a new auction record for a screen-used Star Wars prop, according to the auction organiser, shooting past their US$3.75 million (NZ$6.76 million) July auction sale of Skywalker's light saber and severed hand-effects rig from The Empire Strikes Back.

Heritage's Thursday auction also featured material from Star Wars Episodes I through IX and additional films and TV shows. In addition to Vader's light saber, 27 other Star Wars light sabers were assembled for public auction, according to Heritage Auctions.

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