Attention, Star Trek fans! You can now own your very own prop phaser from the original Star Trek series, handled by Captain James T. Kirk himself, as long as you make the highest bid.
The phaser, only one of two remaining from the 1960s Star Trek series, is now up for auction soon with Los Angeles' Propworkx, and officials expect that it will sell for around $60,000.
William Shatner used the phaser on the series in March, 1968, somewhere around the end of Star Trek's second season. Strangely enough, the studio threw most of the series' other props away, but a few went to private collectors, like this one.
Of course, this isn't a functional prop, as its design was only meant to look good on film and not up close. The fiberglass phaser, though, would still impress any Star Trek fan looking to handle something once touched by Shatner.
"This incredible piece of television history has been exhaustively researched and precisely screen matched to the mid-grade phaser prop featured in an opening scene in the 2nd season TOS episode "Assignment: Earth", where it is seen in a close-up view on-screen in the hand of a security officer in the Transporter Room," says the official auction listing. "Most significantly, it is the presence of both a uniquely contoured scratch line and a small blemish formed by excess paint - both on the front face of the pistol body - as well as perfectly matching orientations of the attached silver nozzle ring and the right-angled metal plate on top that have enabled this particular prop to be positively identified on-screen in that memorable time-travel episode, which originally was broadcast on Mar. 29, 1968."
Other Star Trek items Propworx is auctioning off include Tribbles used in the "Trials and Tribble-ations" episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; costumes worn by Marina Sirtis, Wil Wheaton, Whoopie Goldberg and Patrick Stewart on Star Trek: The Next Generation; and various costumes from Star Trek: Enterprise.
Although the phaser is valued at $60,000, it's likely that it will sell for considerably more. Several years ago, a phaser rifle prop from the series went for $230,000. There is also the case of a Ressikan flute used on Star Trek: The Next Generation valued at around $1,200 that sold for $48,000.
If you're looking to get your hands on the phaser, find out more about the auction on Propworx website. And there's good news: if you can't afford the full $60,000 (or more) up front, the auction house can set you up with an interest-free payment plan. You can bid now on the LiveAuctioneers.com website.
[Photo Credit: Paramount Television]
