As excited as we are for the self-balancing scooter “hoverboards,” many fans of the Back to the Future movies still hanker for a real, working hoverboard. While that will require some new technology to make it a reality, you can at least own one of the props from Back to the Future II movie, as both Marty and Biff’s hoverboards are going up for auction.
Back to the Future is one of the most iconic movie trilogies ever made, and part of that is because it features iconic characters, quotes and props. Perhaps the most recognizable of the latter group is Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) purloined hoverboard from the second movie. Its loud pink-and-green color scheme is a perfect representation of a late-’80s inspired future.
Well, now you can own it. The original hoverboard prop used in the film is going up for auction in three days, though pre-auction bidding has seen its price rise from a starting bid of $3,000 to $7,200 at the time of this writing, according to GearPatrol.
The prop is currently owned by special effects firm Electric Image Studios, which had displayed it in its collection until now. The hoverboard itself is made of styrofoam and is mounted in a shadow box to make it appear as if it is actually hovering.
Because it was used in the film, the hoverboard isn’t in perfect condition, but that only bolsters its authenticity. A letter of provenance further confirms its origins.
Other items from the movies set to go on sale in this weekend’s auction include Biff Tannen’s (Thomas F. Wilson) Pit Bull, the only on-screen hoverboard confirmed to work on water; the Mr Fusion device used to power the flux capacitor in the first two Back to the Future films, and a hand-painted poster from the Enchantment Under the Sea dance from the first movie.
While the hoverboards are receiving a lot of pre-auction attention, it’s the Mr Fusion device that has attracted the highest bid so far. If you want to buy the one-of-a-kind prop, you’ll need to plunk down at least $8,000-plus, though that price is likely to rise when the official auction begins at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday, March 25.
