Captain America’s Iconic Shield Coming to Auction
The ‘hero prop’ used by actor Chris Evans is one of the most important Marvel film props ever to come to auction, and has an open estimate.
One of the most recognizable emblems in pop culture, Captain America’s iconic shield is being offered by Hake’s Auctions in its blockbuster Premier Auction November 2-3.
The shield is one that actor Chris Evans used in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and will be offered in the Session II auction that starts at 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Session I starts at the same time on Tuesday.
According to Pennsylvania auction house, the shield was previously gifted to a Los Angeles nonprofit, Sand Sisters (now known as Girl Powerful), by Marvel Studios’ Executive Vice President Victoria Alonso for a fundraising raffle, which brought in $155,801. In near-pristine condition, the shield will now be available to the collector community at large. Due to its unique nature, it has an open estimate, and as of this writing, the bidding is already at $82,500 and will likely keep climbing.
Between 30 and 40 shields were produced for long shots and action sequences in Endgame, but the example offered by Hake’s, which was created by Marvel Studios senior prop master Russell Bobbitt, was used by Evans during all-important close-up shots. The prop has been authenticated by Bobbitt and comes with custom crafted plaque as well as a letter of authenticity, both signed by him.
“It shows the most detail and was handled with great care on-set so it could be used in multiple scenes. In contrast, many prop shields lasted for maybe one or two scenes before sustaining damage from stunt work,” said Hake's President Alex Winter.
Evans has portrayed the superhero over the course of seven blockbuster films, from The First Avenger in 2011 to Endgame, becoming one of the cornerstones of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, garnering legions of ardent fans and propelling Captain America to even greater heights.
While he has since passed the mantle of Captain America to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, one thing remains the same: that iconic shield, which has secured its rightful place as a touchstone in the American story. An Evans' screen-used shield from Captain America: The Winter Soldier even resides within the halls of the National Museum of American History.
The November auction could push the pop culture giant’s 2021 gross beyond the $10 million mark, Winter noted. Between the red-hot state of the vintage collectibles market and an influx of new, investment-minded collectors coming into the hobby, new records are likely to be set not only by the November auction as a whole, but also in a number of pop-culture subcategories, he said.
“Our June auction went beyond all expectations, with a Pokémon Shadowless Holographic uncut proof sheet selling for an unheard-of world auction-record price of $234,171 and a Babe Ruth button that set a new world auction record at $70,092. Of all of the auctions we’ve hosted in our 54-year history, that one was probably the most credible leading indicator of what lay ahead for the collectibles market. We think the June sale paved the way for an even greater result to come with our November event,” Winter said.
With the ongoing frenzy surrounding Pokémon, a strong result is expected for an uncut 1999 Pokémon Unlimited Base Set holographic proof sheet. This early production with 100 cards featuring artwork by artists Keiji Kinebuchi, Ken Sugimori and Mitsuhiro Anita could land in the $50,000-$75,000 range. Also notable is a 1999 Pokémon Base Set Charizard 4/102 first-edition holographic card in CGC 9 Mint condition; estimate: $20,000-$35,000.
Nearly 400 CGC-certified comic books will be auctioned, including at least one copy of nearly every key Marvel Silver and Bronze Age issue. A prized X-Men #1 from September 1963, with the origin and first appearance of the X-Men, is CGC-graded 6.5 Fine+ and estimated at $35,000-$50,000, while a copy of Marvel’s August 1962 Amazing Fantasy #15, featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man, has the ultimate bonus: Stan Lee’s clear, bold signature in black felt-tip pen on the front cover’s “sweet spot.” It is estimated at $20,000-$35,000.
For more information and to see more lots, visit Hake's.
