This month, fans of Star Trek have a chance to buy the USS Excelsior, commanded by Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), provided that they have big pockets. The USS Excelsior debuted in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, hailed as the “great experiment“, but proved to be no match for the USS Enterprise. Years later, Sulu transferred from the Enterprise to the Excelsior, commanding the iconic starship in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Star Trek‘s Excelsior-class starships became the gold standard for Starfleet in the late 23rd century, carrying over into Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s 24th century.
Now, Heritage Auctions are putting Captain Sulu’s USS Excelsior up for sale as part of their July Entertainment Auction, running between the 25th and 26th of this month. Listed with a starting bid of $40,000, the USS Excelsior, built by Greg Jein for use in Star Trek: Voyager, season 3, episode 2, “Flashback” is one of almost 600 items up for sale from Star Trek, Star Wars, and more. Other Star Trek items on sale in the July Entertainment Auction include Bob Peak’s final movie artwork for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Captain Kirk’s green uniform. Read Heritage Auctions‘ statement below, and peruse the collection here.
“The July 25-26 event, now open for bidding, is a blast into hyperspace featuring beloved starships, iconic costumes and important artwork from the worlds of Star Trek and Star Wars, as well as the films that influenced those franchises and the entertainment inspired by them.
Among the auction’s nearly 600 offerings, collectors will find a Y-wing starfighter that helped take down the Death Star in 1977’s Star Wars, the USS Excelsior that crashed Star Trek: Voyager’s “Flashback,” Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke’s early production script for their trip into 2001: A Space Odyssey and John Alvin’s original concept art for the Blade Runner poster. Here, too, is the costume with which Carrie Fisher had a love-hate relationship: the skimpy metal bikini Princess Leia wore as Jabba the Hutt’s slave in Return of the Jedi.”
Related
Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu History In TOS, Movies & Beyond Explained
Since his introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series, Hikaru Sulu has had a long and varied career in the franchise, appearing in many projects.
Why Captain Sulu’s Excelsior Returned In Star Trek: Voyager
The USS Excelsior that’s up for sale at Heritage Auctions was built by Greg Jein for use in Star Trek: Voyager‘s contribution to the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations. In Voyager season 3, episode 2, “Flashback”, Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) participated in a mind meld with Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ), who took her back in time to the USS Excelsior. As Janeway and Tuvok try to get to the bottom of Tuvok’s deteriorating mental state, they are thrown into the climactic events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
With Star Trek‘s 60th anniversary only a few years away, it feels apt that this piece of franchise history is now up for sale. 30 years after the Excelsior was rebuilt to celebrate Star Trek‘s first three decades, the franchise is in rude health. Like Sulu before her, Janeway is still a beloved character, thanks to her resurgence in Star Trek: Prodigy. By acquiring the USS Excelsior prop, a lucky fan – in more ways than one, given the price – could own a starship that bridges two classic Star Trek eras.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Where to Watch*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
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Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew – Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) – with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.
- Cast
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William Shatner
, Leonard Nimoy
, Deforest Kelley
, Nichelle Nichols
, James Doohan
, George Takei
, Walter Koenig - Release Date
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September 8, 1966
- Seasons
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3
- Writers
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Gene Roddenberry
- Showrunner
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Gene Roddenberry
- Where To Watch
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Paramount+
Star Trek: Voyager
Where to Watch*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
- Cast
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Kate Mulgrew
, Robert Beltran
, Roxann Dawson
, Jennifer Lien
, Robert Duncan McNeill
, Ethan Phillips
, Robert Picardo
, Tim Russ
, Garrett Wang
, Jeri Ryan - Release Date
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May 23, 1995
- Seasons
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7
- Writers
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Michael Piller
, Jeri Taylor
, Brannon Braga
, Kenneth Biller - Showrunner
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Michael Piller
, Jeri Taylor
, Brannon Braga
, Kenneth Biller - Where To Watch
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Paramount+
