The Hoverboard...
A futuristic dream made real in Back to the Future Part II—has taken another leap forward into history, this time in the collector's world. On December 7th 2024, Marty McFly’s (Michael J. Fox) Hero "flying" wire-rigged lenticular hoverboard sold for a staggering $237,500 at Heritage Auctions.
Indeed friends, the collectibles industry is VERY present these days (recall Dorothy’s Red Ruby Slippers recently sold for a mind-blowing record of $32.5 Million!!)
For our Younger Readers, A Brief BTTF Recap
When Back to the Future (1) hit theaters in 1985, it captivated we viewers with its humour, heart, and adventure. Marty McFly and Doc Brown's time-traveling DeLorean, despite all the trouble it caused whipping through time (albeit giving us a pretty damned good story concept) instantly became the lore of every kid on earth, while captivating us with some pretty ‘futuristic’ cinematic magic.
When its sequel, Back to the Future Part II FINALLY came out in 1989 (you kids have no idea how hard it was being PATIENT back then haha), it thrilled us with a 2015 futuristic world of self-lacing shoes, holograms, and, of HOT DAMN, hoverboards.
Hoverboards, specifically, epitomized a fantastically fun vision of the future. Marty’s daring escape from Griff Tannen and his gang of bullies, “borrowing” a hoverboard from a child in Hill Valley's town square, remains one of the most thrilling sequences in the series.
A Unique Piece of Film History
The hoverboard auctioned at Heritage is no ordinary movie prop. It’s the only screen-used hero "flying" wooden hoverboard from Back to the Future Part II and features a lenticular design that shimmered with brilliant charm on screen. Adding to its appeal, the board is signed by Michael J. Fox and writer-producer Bob Gale, cementing its authenticity and connection to the film.
This particular hoverboard comes from Charlie Croughwell, Fox's stunt double, who performed some of the most daring sequences in the film. In a generous gesture, Croughwell pledged 50% of the auction proceeds to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, ensuring the hoverboard's legacy continues to support a noble cause.
Hoverboards in the Digital Space
So, remember when those pretty nifty, yet ridiculously difficult 'modern hoverboards' hit toy store shelves somewhere back around 2014? Like so many other design ideas, they tried to emulate the fun of 'flying' from the film, among many concepts that have arisen over the centuries. (For a full breakdown, visit the page at Wikipedia.). For some strange reason, these were just so much harder to 'jump on & go' like that scene Marty hit us with!
Most of us of course, simply smile and wonder what it would be like to ever have the kind of funds needed to acquire pieces of cinematic history such as these. However, for those who (like me) are deep fans of this massive brand and its Intellectual Property, Licensed Digital Collectibles offer an attractive, accessible way to participate and yes, OWN a piece of history.
VeVe, a platform known for its massive array of the world’s best known branded, licensed digital collectibles, released a series of hoverboard NFTs in June 2021 with Universal City Studios LLC & Amblin Entertainment.
This allows fans to own a virtual version of the iconic prop, while these hoverboards are also the first appearance on the blockchain in premium digital format, and in a world-first, Marty’s hoverboard is sporting the Mattel logo, as seen in the movie!
The collection features several variations, including:
Marty's classic Mattel hoverboard
Griff’s Pitbull hoverboard
Custom hoverboards inspired by the futuristic aesthetic of Hill Valley.
These hoverboard collectibles not only serve as a tribute to the beloved franchise, but may also see increased interest following the auction. With digital collectibles becoming a mainstream trend and the continued appeal of Back to the Future, VeVe’s hoverboards offer speculative potential for collectors looking to combine nostalgia with cutting-edge technology.
As of writing, only around (95) are available in VeVe's marketplace out of 28,886 total minted. That's less than 1%. Actually, less than 0.35% to be more accurate…
A Timeless Icon
Obviously, a 1-of-1, extremely rare physical hoverboard, signed and used in the original films can easily be imagined reaching a valuation over a quarter of a million dollars. Yet, Marty McFly’s hoverboard represents more than just a movie prop - it’s an immediately nostalgic symbol of an era and movie so many of us so adored.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve rewatched the series, from being there on each opening night to owning the VHS set, upgrading to DVDs, happily watching when some movie channel aired them on TV and of course now, streaming at our leisure.
Those old movie-watching collectibles though continue to be impressive auction items. Take for instance (Biff Tannon) Actor Tom Wilson's 1986 "Back to the Future" VHS videotape sold for $75,000 back in 2022! (See story on CNN.com)
This sale is such a wonderful example of POSSIBILITY.
The sale resulted in a "wonderful thing" (said Robert Wilonsky of Hertiage Auctions) - a massive donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation by stuntman Charlie Croughwell, the board's original owner. The possibility some of those funds could help find a cure is really, just so wonderful.
For those supporting the IP's digital format, it is now possible to acquire a 100% trustless asset (no question how many digital versions were made) that partially connects its owners to such a wonderful moment in time.
It's even possible our Streaming Services today will EVOLVE into full Augmented or Virtual Reality spaces where digital assets could be pretty big deals. I mean, a virtual shark tried to bite Marty's head off, and we ALL believed that could happen one day!
Last, but not least, Is it possible Universal Studios believes so too, and why they chose to offer their licensed IP as digital assets to the largest digital collectibles platform in the world?
I’m not arguing these will one day outperform the physical item’s valuation, when there are almost 29,000 pieces of these digital hoverboards available vs. the ONE physical that just sold.
What I am asking though, is that we all consider there are now roughly 29,000 people who are happy to hold such a piece in their collections, and share in a nostalgic, collectible connection to this incredible moment in time.
For we BTTF fans, let’s all celebrate this historic sale, and the joy this series continues to give!
For a FANtastic video review by Charlie Croughwell, stunt double for Michael J. Fox of the Heritage Auction hoverboard, click the image below or visit YouTube - it is really worth the Time...
Thanks for Reading!
