A long-lost model that had a starring role in the original Star Wars film has sold at auction for a record-breaking NZ$5.3m.
The prop is a 50cm model of a X-wing starfighter used by the Rebel Alliance in the battle to destroy the Death Star in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
It had been considered missing for decades before being discovered in a cardboard box in the garage of Oscar-nominated model-maker Greg Jein, who died last May at the age of 76.
On Sunday (local time), Heritage Auctions facilitated the model's auction, making it the "most expensive Star Wars screen-used prop sold at auction".
Executive vice president Joe Maddalena said that the worldwide response to the Greg Jein collections had been outstanding.
"A true testament to Greg and all he accomplished as visual effects artist and collector."
The auction included other film memorabilia, including an Imperial stormtrooper costume also from A New Hope, an astronaut suit from 2001: A Space Odyssey and a series of miniatures from the TV show Battlestar Galactica.
George Lucas created the basic designs of both the Rebel X-Wing and the Empire's TIE fighters, using distinct shapes to show the audience immediately who was a "good guy" or a "bad guy".
Built by Industrial Light & Magic, the miniature is one of only four 'hero' models created for the space opera.
It featured details such as battle scars, working lights, and wings that open into "attack position".
The model played the part of Red Leader, Red Two and famously Red Five — piloted by Luke Skywalker.
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