In July 2006, a Ghostbusters Proton Pack that was consigned with the auction house Profiles in History to be part of their Auction 25 was publicly marketed by way of the auction catalog. This Ghostbusters Proton Pack was described as an original hero prop with a Certificate of Authenticity from Columbia Studios.
From the description:
499. Original hero Proton Pack from Ghostbusters II. (Columbia, 1989) Original Proton Pack constructed fiberglass, metal and other composite materials and built around a custom backpack frame, with electrical wiring and various toggle switches. Attached to the pack with flexible hose is a custom cast hero resin “gun” with ergonomic handgrip and additional toggle switches, which the Ghostbusters pointed t their ghostly prey in the film, then discharged the energy of the pack to capture the targeted demon! This hero pack is extensively wired and illuminates with various oscillating and flashing lights when powered up – truly an impressive prop, both on-screen and in-person. The pack measures approx. 27 in. tall from top to bottom. As the Proton Packs were retained from the first film and later modified for use in the second, it is believed that this pack was also used in the first Ghost Busters film. Accompanied with a certificate of authenticity from Columbia Studios. $12,000 – $15,000
By way of back story, Hollywood Vault had auctioned off two authentic Ghostbusters Proton Packs, along with official Certificates of Authenticity from Columbia Studios. These were the only two packs known to have been publicly auctioned in such a fashion. One was a stunt pack, one was a hero pack.
The Columbia Studios COAs and authentic props from the official Hollywood Vault auctions can be traced back to the first owners of both the hero and stunt packs, by way of first hand commentary by those auction winners on the Movie Prop Forum (see Movie Prop Forum topic: “State of play” October 2004).
It was later established that the original Proton Pack was resold and subsequently lost (see Movie Prop Forum topic: “Missing Proton Pack” August 2005).
And, later still, it was determined by members of the Movie Prop Forum that the Proton Pack consigned to the PiH auction was a replica paired with the authentic COA (see Movie Prop Forum topic: “July 2006 Profiles in History Catalog Online!” July 2006).
Knowledgeable members researched this piece and came up with a list of “tells” and attributes that showed the consigned piece to match a fan made replica and that differed from the original pack that was auctioned by Hollywood Vault (and assigned the authentic Columbia Studios COA).
Here is a comparison photo of the PiH consignment pack, the fan made replica rendition it has been identified to match, and the original pack as marketed by Hollywood Vault in 2004:
It has not, to my knowledge, been publicly disclosed as to how the authentic Columbia Studios COA ended up with a replica pack in a public auction.
To the credit of Profiles in History, they immediately pulled the piece as soon as it was identified as inauthentic.
As a result of these events, I would strongly caution hobbyists to fully research any Ghostbusters Proton Packs described as “hero” to be absolutely sure that it is authentic.
This is an excellent example of how important it is to authenticate pieces beyond the Certificate of Authenticity, regardless of the issuer or for sale venue. As noted in prior articles, unless you are buying a prop direct from the studio or authorized studio reseller, a Studio COA can still be paired with an inauthentic piece.
Also, with props that are heavily reproduced by way of fan made replicas, I would further recommend that collectors compare any prop purported to be an original with the replica versions that exist in the marketplace, including fan made pieces, licensed pieces, crew gifts, etc. Replica hobbyists are generally extremely helpful and diligent in assisting in such research, and there are great resources available, such as the Replica Prop Forum.
Jason De Bord