Someone Bought R2-D2 for Nearly $3M

An R2-D2 droid that was used in several Star Wars films has sold at auction for nearly $3 million, the AP reports. The auction house Profiles in History said the 43-inch tall unit that was compiled from parts used throughout filming of the original trilogy sold for $2.76 million at an auction Wednesday. There was no information about who purchased the droid, which was the most expensive item offered in a movie memorabilia auction that included numerous props from the Star Wars franchise. Other items up for sale included Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from the first two films, which sold for $450,000 and Darth Vader's helmet from the original film, which sold for $96,000.

The California-based Profiles in History had estimated the R2-D2 droid could fetch up to $2 million before Wednesday's sale. Other space-themed film and television memorabilia was also for sale, with a collection of 23 ships from Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers sold for $1.8 million. A helmet worn by the late actor Bill Paxton on the set of Aliens sold for $51,000. Not all the items that sold were out of this world. The lighted dance floor from Saturday Night Fever sold for $1.2 million. (More Star Wars stories.)