Tragic lifelong fan's Star Wars toy collection could fetch £20,000 at auction

John and June Scott, who live in Elgin, nearly gave away their son Paul’s collection for free after he died in October.

A collection of original Star Wars toys which were almost donated to a charity shop after the death of a lifelong fan could now fetch more than £20,000 at auction.

John and June Scott nearly gave away their son Paul’s prized possessions for free after he passed away last October from a heart attack aged 52.

But after spotting one of his toys being featured on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow the couple soon realised their son’s collection might be of some value.

Parents John and June said they were then left “gobsmacked” to learn they were worth around £20,000 after taking them to be valued by auction experts.

The collection, which includes original R2-D2 and C-3PO figures, will now be sold by Hansons Auctioneers on May 5 – the day after “Star Wars Day”.

John and June said Paul was aged only five when he started his collection, which sparked decades-long obsession the the famous sci-fi franchise.

John, 74, said: “He was nuts about Star Wars all his life and totally dedicated to his collection. I used to ask him why he was wasting his money on it. Well, I know now. We were flabbergasted when we discovered what it was worth.

“But it’s not about the money, we just want to honour him and show him how proud we are.”

Yorkshire-born John, who lives in Elgin, added: “Paul bought boxes and boxes of things just hoping to get the one piece he was after. He acquired pieces from all over the world.

“We thought he was nuts, but it just goes to show how special he was.”

The couple hopes to spend the proceeds on a Star Wars themed memorial to their son, a keen cyclist, who worked as an onshore oil and gas engineer in Aberdeen.

June said he remembers queuing at Argos in 1979 to make sure Paul was the first boy in the street to own a much-prized Millennium Falcon Spaceship, which appears in the sale with a guide price of £120.

She said: “He was obsessed with Star Wars. We knew the collection was worth something when we saw Fiona Bruce talking about a caped Jawa on Antiques Roadshow and thinking, ‘Wow – Paul’s got one of those.'”

The ultra rare vinyl caped Jawa – one of the desirable figures ever produced from the original Star Wars toy line – is expected to make £1,200- £1,500 at the sale in Etwall, Derbys.

Hansons Auctioneers’ toy expert, David Wilson-Turner, said: “There is no doubt Paul was an astute collector. When the figure of Jawa first appeared in 1977, it had a thin vinyl cape.

“But after it was considered too cheap looking it was soon replaced by a cloth one, meaning the vinyl version is much rarer and highly sought after.”

The R2-D2 and C-3PO toys, manufactured by Palitoy, which would have retailed for less than £2, are each expected to make £1,500 each.

Paul’s two sisters Tracy and Julie will represent the family at the sale, due to have taken place of May 4 – Star Wars Day, but postponed due to the Bank Holiday.

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