There are any number of minor screen used props that become available to purchase through various auctions, such as the huge Prop Store event, which takes place next weekend in London, but every so often an item comes up that is truly a piece of cinematic history - and therefore also brings a cinematically historical price tag with it. One such item is the screen used hero prop Captain America Shield used by Chris Evans in the record-breaking Avengers: Endgame, which is going under the hammer at Hake's Auctions and has already reached a bid of $45,000 a week before the auction even takes place.
It is fair to say that someone is going to have to have a large chunk of change lying around to be able to nab this item, and there are likely many fans out there who would pay a fee just to touch the shield of Captain America, however, with six bids in place so far and the price rapidly approaching $50k, there will be a number of serious buyers out there just waiting until the auction itself to launch their bid to own the iconic piece.
Alex Winter, the Hake's Auctions president and not the actor best known for playing one half of Bill & Ted, said in a statement, "This is an absolute must-have for any serious Captain America fan and a rare opportunity to obtain a key, screen-used Marvel Cinematic Universe hero prop. It is one of the most important Marvel film props to ever come to auction, both in terms of its iconic stature and its ironclad provenance."
The official description from Hake's Auctions reads: "Hake's Auctions is proud to offer Chris Evans' screen-used hero prop shield from Avengers: Endgame in Auction #233. Constructed by Marvel Studios Senior Prop Master Russell Bobbitt, the shield is 24" in diameter, approximately 3" deep and is constructed of high density foam, with a spun aluminum exterior and hand-crafted leather arm and hand straps on the interior. 30 to 40 shields were produced for Endgame, but this example was used for close-up shots in Evans' hand as it shows the most detail and its spun aluminum surface exhibits a mesmerizing metallic sheen. The other prop shields made for Endgame were used in long shots and action sequences, lasting one or two scenes before sustaining damage from use associated with stunt work. This shield was handled with care on set so it could be utilized in multiple scenes, making this shield's near pristine condition an even rarer feat."
The Captain America is one of the standout items in the auction, which also features numerous comic book lots, which include Marvel comics featuring the first in print appearances of Iron Man, Thor and Daredevil among others, while other areas of the current auctions also include Star Wars and Masters of The Universe action figures, trading cards, video games and much more. The auction itself runs over November 2nd and 3rd, with bidding open beforehand via the Hakes.com website.
While Chris Evans has now hung up his Captain America shield in the MCU, we still have more adventures from the First Avenger's legacy, as Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson took up the mantel at the end of the Disney+ series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and is carrying it on into a fourth Captain America movie, which is already in development at Marvel Studios.