How Much Is An Original Star Trek Phaser Worth?

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Any avid Star Trek fan would highly covert an original Star Trek Phaser. Especially if said phaser was actually used by one of the actors while filming. It is hard not to argue that this would be any true collector’s dream.

But if this is something you’re genuinely interested in purchasing, you’ll need a fair bit of money because they certainly do not go cheap at an auction.

This is because so many of the original items from this beloved show were either lost or destroyed throughout time.

So to actually find a piece of original memorabilia is a very rare thing. And in the auction world, the rarer something is, the higher in price the item tends to be sold for. 

How Much Do Original Phasers Auction For?

So exactly how much money do you need to purchase one of these items for yourself? A lot. At an auction, the rare phaser used by William Shatner sold for $231,000. This is the second-highest paid price for any prop from the 1960s Star-Trek show. 

The only item from the 1960s show to sell for more money was the captain’s chair which sold for $304,750 in 2008. In 2006 a miniature special-effects model of the enterprise from Star Trek’s ‘The Next Generation’ sold for $576,000.

And other phasers that may not be as rare still go for a lot of money.
You’ll still be likely to fetch between $40,000 – $60,000 for more basic original phasers. 

So if you’re hoping to add an original piece to your collection, you’ll need a considerable amount of money in your savings. These rare items certainly do not come cheap.   

What Is A Star Trek Phaser

For those who may be unfamiliar with Star Trek, a phaser is a type of weapon that was first seen in the original series and then was later introduced into many of the subsequent spin-offs and films. 

The phaser was a very common weapon in Star Trek that used pulsed energy. They came in a wide array of sizes from small arms to weaponry that was mounted onto the starship.

This weapon could be used at different levels, its lowest setting just incapacitating an enemy with a stun or shock, the highest level however could burn, disintegrate, or vaporize an enemy. 

Toy Phasers

If you’re just looking to purchase a replica toy phaser you only need to search the word phaser on amazon and you’ll find hundreds of results. 

Prices can range from anywhere as little as $15 but can increase to as much as $65 depending on the product you pick. 

It’s important to keep in mind that these are just copies of the original phasers used in the show and movies. They are perfect for young fans that want to play ‘Star Trek’ and live in their imagination.  But they are not really a collector’s item. 

In fact, collector’s items of original memorabilia are in a totally different ballpark price-wise.

William Shatner’s Unique Prop Background

Before we go into the mind-blowing details of exactly just how much William Shatner’s original phaser recently sold for at auction, let’s take a little look at the background information that contributed to such a high-priced auction bid. 

Reuben Klamer was a toy designer that created the prop for Gene Roddenberry to use in the pilot episode of Star trek.

The rifle was first seen in an episode called ‘Where No Man Has Gone Before’ that was filmed as the second pilot since the first pilot ‘The Cage’ was rejected. But in the end, it became the third episode of the series originally airing on television on the 22nd of September 1966. 

The storyline of the episode (spoiler alert) is based on a character called Lt. Commander who obtains telepathic and telekinetic powers which threaten the rest of the crew.

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) saves the day when he kills the officer threatening the crew with the trusty phaser rifle. Once the episode was aired, the rifle then got replaced with a different gun prop that looked more like a handgun. 

Since the prop was never used again, its value increased dramatically as it became very rare, and then, of course, anything that has been used by a famous and loved actor is always going to drive up the price at auction.

This is because many Star Trek superfans will be desperate to get their hands on this one-of-a-kind item. 

Final Thoughts

Any true fan would kill to have a prop from the actual set of Star Trek in their bedroom, and perhaps it is this popularity that forces the prices of the phaser up at auction. An original phaser’s price will vary depending on the item itself. 

If it is an incredibly rare version of the prop, such as the phaser from the pilot episode that was only used the once, then it’s going to be very expensive.

Although, even phasers that are much more common are still going to cost a hefty price at auction. You should still be looking at anywhere between $40,000 – $60,000 at a minimum.

This is because it is an original, and these will always do extremely well at auction, and auctioneers get particularly competitive trying to secure the item for themselves which drives up the price.

But to any passionate collector, the item will be worth every penny and the great thing about items such as these are that they are a great investment as they tend to only become more valuable as time goes on.

Of course, that’s if you could ever bring yourself to auction the item again in a few years. Most people will tend to cling on tight to a gem such as the phaser that was mentioned above and the thought of giving it away may seem abhorrent.