At a recent auction for The Walking Dead props, Negan's infamous baseball bat, Lucille, outsold all other items, including Daryl's motorcycle. Negan first touted Lucille, his baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, during his introduction in the final episode of The Walking Dead season 6. Wielding his signature weapon, the Saviors leader killed fan-favorite characters Abraham and Glenn, establishing himself as a major antagonist for the next two seasons of the series. He would utilize the bat for a variety of reasons, including intimidation and simply knocking on doors. Eventually, Negan and the Saviors were defeated by Rick and his group of survivors, with Lucille disappearing soon after Negan's imprisonment.
In the show's most recent seasons, Negan has become a reformed member of the core group of survivors. His reformation hinges on the season 10 finale, "Here's Negan," remembering his wife Lucille and providing an origin story for the baseball bat's name. Negan later found Lucille in the present, but decided to burn the bat while apologizing to his wife for everything he'd done. While Negan no longer uses his lost weapon, his association with Lucille is still strong. The uniqueness of the weapon when compared to others used in The Walking Dead is what makes Negan and Lucille a classic pair.
During an auction held by marketplace Goldin, the original Lucille prop used during The Walking Dead season 7 was sold at $51,600, the highest price of any prop sold during the auction. This version of the bat has a small round embedded in it, courtesy of Rosita during season 7, episode 8. Lucille's final bid was almost twice as much as Daryl's 1992 Honda CB 750 Nighthawk Motorcycle, which sold for $32,400. Other props auctioned off included Michonne's original sword, a police cruiser from Rick Grimes' final episode, and a rubber red machete.
Where A Post-Lucille Negan Is Heading Next
While Lucille will always be associated with Negan, his recent reformation underscores how he's left the meaning of the bat behind and wants to move on from the villainous past the weapon was associated with. Burning the baseball bat acted as a ritual of sorts for him, as he never again slipped into an antagonistic role after doing so. His recent helping hand against the Commonwealth indicates he'll be around for quite some time, assisting the main group of survivors to make up for his past mistakes.
Even after the flagship series is over, Negan is poised to accompany Maggie to New York in The Walking Dead: Dead City. Airing in April 2023, the show promises a continued exploration of Negan and Maggie's tense relationship, hinging on the fact that Negan had killed her husband, Glenn, eight years prior. Dead City can act as the perfect opportunity for Negan to fully reform himself in Maggie's eyes, despite all the horrific acts he committed against the core survivors years prior. It's not surprising that a character with such a dynamic turn who will be leading a Walking Dead spinoff series next year had his signature weapon auctioned off at such a high price.
Source: Goldin