Back to the Future hoverboard up for auction: $30k to play

Tired of waiting for scientists to crack the secrets of levitation in order to purchase a bona fide hoverboard? Look, life's short -- why not take matters into your own hands? A genuine wooden Mattel hoverboard used by Michael J. Fox (or Marty McFly, as we prefer to call him) in Back to the Future II and III is up for auction, though the barrier to entry is rather substantial. Of course, this is considered the "best example of all wood hoverboards to have survived the rigors of filming," but whether or not it's worth the $30,000+ asking price is entirely up to you.

[Via CrunchGear]

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 2:03PM]

Hmm now Im really tempted to waste my student loan on this hoverboard instead of going to college. Itd be worth it!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 10:30AM]

FAKE! too much $30,000.00!? Hmm We Still Don't Own Hoverboard in the 2008 DUH! We still wait till by 2020. That stupid 30,000.00 for one Hoverboard. If Someone say "It is true hoverboard" where PROOF if work float or not?

[Shane Posted Jul 25th 2008 10:41AM]

What are you smoking, dude? Of course it's fake!

Apparently someone hasn't seen the movie (or read the article) and realized that this is a PROP from Back To The Future II and III...It doesn't actually hover (at least not without an army of movie special effects guys) and no one is claiming it does.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2008 11:18AM]

here PROOF if work that float or no: http://youtube.com/watch?v=TSBY4aqVH4g
you wait no by 2020, hoverboard fake not

[ummhello Posted Jul 25th 2008 10:40AM]

...if only it were real. think of all the gas you'd save....and the fact that you wouldn't have to get exercise (like biking/rollerblading/walking)...

[Rainier Posted Jul 25th 2008 10:43AM]

Does it come with the handlebars that McFly ripped off?

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:42PM]

"Heyyyy!"

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 27th 2008 5:20AM]

Sorry, kid.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 11:02AM]

Quite clearly the one in the picture is not the one up for Auction. (differences in the detail, take a closer look)

I wonder how many other "hoverboards" are waiting to be auctioned after this one ? !

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 11:17AM]

if it actually hovered like in the movies, I be all over that sweet deal!

[symmetryx Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:42PM]

+1 for the They Live icon

[Ryanp Posted Jul 25th 2008 11:28AM]

I watched one of those crappy making of things on TV back in the day that said that hoverboards were a real toy that was recalled after poor sales. I hate that guy to this day.

I even imagined special skating rinks (hey it was the 80's!) that had a magnetic floor that repelled the board. It would be difficult to keep the board from flipping over though.

[tande04 Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:20PM]

That would be an urban legend.

Zemeckis would often say that the hoverboards were real but that was just because he was just getting so fed up with all of the "how they do that" questions.

No company ever produced a working hoverboard and it wasn't pulled because of poor sales, horrible accidents, or anything else. It was just a cool toy that every kid who saw the movie 'wished' was real and so it was pretty easy to buy into the idea that it was real, you just couldn't have one.

[scolen2 Posted Jul 25th 2008 1:02PM]

Actually, you can make a real working hover board. Just take a piece of toast. Butter one side, and then duct tape it to a cats feet! Be sure to have the butter side facing the cat. There you go, free and everlasting levetation.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 11:56AM]

I call fake or altering. If you look at the pictures from the movie and the pictures of the auction board, they are different. There is a black screw or something on the hover pad in the movie picture, but there is not one on the auction picture. Curious. Also, the screw on the top of the board is at a slightly different spot on both boards.

[tande04 Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:24PM]

No, its an offical movie prop auction. No faking of any kind.

You've got to realize that there were hundreds of these things made (well maybe not hundreds but a lot more then one). Some would of been used for specific shots, like a "floating" prop would of probably been different from a close up prop. Then even within the different types there would be multiples because since its nothing more then painted wood its going to get chipped, scuffed, etc.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:41PM]

And the mattel logo partially covers the green lines in the movie screenshot while not in the pic.
And the diagonal pink lines are closer together in the movie.
Etc, Etc.
i don't know how people pay this kind of money for this junk even if it was the original from the movie. there's too much money surplus somewhere.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:36PM]

For those wondering, Griff's Pitbull hoverboard is currently housed at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, WA.

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:45PM]

Pilgrimage road trip!

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:46PM]

Seriously, if not for the trilogy, I'd have three empty spots in my top five favorite movie list.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 12:45PM]

So, wait... Looking at the foot strap on this... McFly rode Mongo?!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 1:20PM]

Thats alot of money, but you know there are plenty of move buffs and hardcore geeks that'll buy it anyway.

[dapoktan Posted Jul 25th 2008 1:52PM]

what a great piece of memorabilia if you're a big Back to the Future fan..
Whoever wins it better keep it in good condition until I make enough money to buy it off him in the future :)

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Jul 25th 2008 2:23PM]

I'll see you in the bidding war then... in about 30 years?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 3:01PM]

Bullpies! They can't auction that - it's DAMAGED GOODS, I say.

Not only is it used by a time traveler with WHO KNOWS how many diseases from the old west, but the Handlebars are missing! That's dangerous AND irresponsible.

Let's boycott this auction. All you have to do is NOT give them $30,000+. Who's with me?!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 3:07PM]

I'm surprised there's no steampunk version of this thing yet.


Uh oh, what have I done?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 25th 2008 3:08PM]

But will it hover?

[MRPysnik Posted Jul 26th 2008 4:29AM]

I've got an old deck and two Tap-Lights that I'll rig up for someone.

...And I'll only charge them $3,000. Just think, that's a 90% savings, ACT NOW!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 26th 2008 9:24AM]

McFry!!!!!!!

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Jul 26th 2008 10:25AM]

Fujitsu-san! Konnichiwa!

[geoffrose Posted Jul 27th 2008 10:19PM]

Blendtec should buy it - now theres something I would like to see blended!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 2nd 2008 10:50AM]

I wonder if I can rig a flux capacitor to it...