Bidding for this lot will end on Tuesday, March 12th. The auction will begin at 9:00AM PDT and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Wednesday, March 13th or Thursday, March 14th.

A hero plutonium cell and canister from Robert Zemeckis' Back to the Future. Emmett "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd) swindled plutonium cells from terrorists in order to generate the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity needed to power the DeLorean time machine. During the classic parking lot scene in which he demonstrated the process for Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc rotated his canister containing the volatile plutonium pellet, causing it to drop slightly at first until disappearing completely into the chamber.

Though they are not seen clearly enough to confirm a screen-match, this lot is believed to be the only hero cell and canister designed to release the cell as seen in the scene. During filming, the canister was filled with water which has since evaporated, rendering a match even more difficult.

Unlike the more-common static canisters created by production, this canister features a specially designed bottom disc with two holes machined into it: one cut only partway through to form an indentation and the other cut all the way through to allow the cell to to pass through. When the main body of the canister is rotated with the bottom held in place, the cell slides into the first open hole, dropping slightly until that hole is aligned with the cell chamber, allowing it to slide completely out of the canister and into the DeLorean's reactor.

This cell and canister are made of clear acrylic, with a portion of the plutonium core made from a transparent red acrylic. The internal rod features a "Caution Radioactive Material" sticker and two plastic washers inside the canister to secure it in place. This lot exhibits scuffing and scratches on the acrylic, a crack along the seam of the canister, discoloration, and lifted adhesive. A metal wire underneath the canister once used to hold the bottom disc is no longer present. Dimensions: 3" x 3" x 7.25" (7.75 cm x 7.75 cm x 18.5 cm)

Estimate: $40,000 - 80,000

View all lots from BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

View all lots from BACK TO THE FUTURE - ALL ITEMS