Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, March 25th. The auction will begin at 9:30 AM (PDT) / 12:30 PM (EDT) / 4:30 PM (GMT) 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 Thursday, March 26th or Friday, March 27th.
Martin Riggs' (Mel Gibson) screen-matched wallet from Richard Donner's Lethal Weapon. LAPD Sergeant Riggs rifled through his wallet while he worked undercover to bust a ring of cocaine dealers and antagonized them in one of the film's classic gags by counting out the cash before he revealed his badge, highlighting his dangerously natured character. Specific scratches on the leather interior of this wallet screen-match it to the film.
Upon release, Lethal Weapon became one of the highest-grossing films of 1987 and was later nominated for an Academy Award®. Its success inspired a multi-installment film and television franchise and established Gibson as a major star in American cinema for his role as the volatile and smarmy Riggs.
Originating from the personal collection of weapon specialist Mike Papac, this woven leather wallet contains two color-printed photographs adhered together of Riggs' deceased wife, Victoria Lynn, whose death originally set off Riggs' unhinged character; a Utica Mutual insurance card hand-signed by propmaster Erik L. Nelson; a Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association membership card for Nelson's wife Elizabeth numbered "1855"; and a AAA membership card, among other unrelated business and personal cards added to fill the wallet. This wallet was first used in the first Lethal Weapon film and was then made available for the filming of Lethal Weapon 2 and 3, but was ultimately never needed for the sequels. The wallet exhibits thinning and fading both to its exterior and to its suede inner lining from production use, as well as discoloration and creasing to the photos and cards. Dimensions: 4.5" x 3.5" x 1" (11.5 cm x 9 cm x 2.5 cm)
Estimate: $8,000 - 16,000
Mike Papac is among Hollywood’s most respected armourers. Active in the film industry since the late 1970s, he served as weapons specialist on action classics including Lethal Weapon and Die Hard, and as property gun master for Predator - all within an 18-month span. By the early 1990s, Papac had become a trusted resource for leading directors such as Tony Scott, Renny Harlin, and Richard Donner, collaborating throughout the decade with stars including Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. His career has encompassed work as prop master and armourer on some of cinema’s most successful franchises, from Iron Man and Man of Steel to acclaimed action comedies like Three Kings and Red. Original hero pieces from the Die Hard films are exceptionally rare, and Propstore is proud to present these examples from Mike Papac’s personal collection - offered to the public for the first time.