For those who've been curious on the fate of the screen-used 8th Doctor Sonic prop, it appears to have been found. An online prop store has listed this sonic for auction, and is claiming that it is indeed the same one used in the 1996 production. If you look closely on both the photo below, and the photos provided in the auction listing, you can see the little flat portion with the extension button on the lower tier of the sonic, just above the brass band. As far as we know, there were two props made for the film. One of which is owned by Paul Salamoff, who restored the screen-used 1996 console and was given one of the screwdrivers as a gift by Philip Segal. The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff (which closed back in September of 2017), had a collection of screwdrivers on display for each of the Doctors. The one displayed as the 8th Doctor's was a actually a replica made by Timelord's Pocket, which was not used in the production of the film, but was actually used in "the Night of the Doctor". It's most noticeable difference from the '96 prop, was that it was missing the button above the brass ring which extended the original '96 version. Hopefully this will allow for more accurate replicas to be made in the near future!

https://propstoreauction.com/m/lot-details/index/catalog/267/lot/62323/?fbclid=IwAR0YOkZklHc_Waj8AB5TQgZ8u8Sc4S9Um8Z1dS3tteyqoksr57SxXToJnlA

If that is genuinely a screen-used prop, then these are probably the best images of it we'll ever see!... Unless someone here has deep enough pockets to buy it!

I'm surprised by how little damage is on it, considering that it's a 24-year-old prop!

Quote from: Angelus Lupus on Jul 28, 2020, 12:07 amIf that is genuinely a screen-used prop, then these are probably the best images of it we'll ever see!... Unless someone here has deep enough pockets to buy it!

YOu know...

I think thats definitely the real deal.

Thats never really looked like a "button" to me. More like a hole...









I'd wager that the mechanism was held in its retracted state via friction and a small clip that locks into the hole and that pushing the clip releases the spring inside the shaft (Does that make sense? coz it does in my head...)

The clip would have to be very shallow as there's not much showing through the hole in its retracted state when the screwdriver is being examined by Chang Lee.

I see the bid is currently $5,500!

Every time I see a classic screwdriver I really wish I had a metal working lathe...

Wow that's it that's definitely the original! Wow it's such a beautiful prop

and even a picture with it against a ruler - its like they knew we existed and did it especially for us

There's even what looks like a small grub screw to allow the end cap to come off. Presumably to get to the inner workings?

Quote from: davidnagel on Jul 28, 2020, 10:24 pmand even a picture with it against a ruler - its like they knew we existed and did it especially for us

Well... if they had been thinking about us, then they might at least have had the decency to align the ruler correctly! 
I took the liberty of correcting the perspective, and shifting the ruler. I make it that the sonic is 221mm long.

So... I'm the first bidder on it, and an hour after I placed the bid I saw that Phil Segal said it was not genuine on Twitter because he kept the collapsible sonic.

According to Phil, there were only two sonics used on set, the hero collapsible prop he kept and the static prop that resides with the original toolkit and the TARDIS console.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Mooneye63/status/1287828984647102474

Still researching...  but it's pretty murky at the moment.  I've requested an appointment to inspect it in person and verify some details.

--Brian

Good luck- Keep us informed!

Russ

Quote from: KIT-KAT on Jul 28, 2020, 07:52 pmWow that's it that's definitely the original! Wow it's such a beautiful prop

I love how wrong I was 😂

I think it's good of Mr Segal to raise this, otherwise someone could spend a lot on something of little value

Quote from: too_many_cars on Aug 03, 2020, 09:26 pmSo... I'm the first bidder on it, and an hour after I placed the bid I saw that Phil Segal said it was not genuine on Twitter because he kept the collapsible sonic.

According to Phil, there were only two sonics used on set, the hero collapsible prop he kept and the static prop that resides with the original toolkit and the TARDIS console.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Mooneye63/status/1287828984647102474

Still researching...  but it's pretty murky at the moment.  I've requested an appointment to inspect it in person and verify some details.

--Brian

I guess it's not the inspection of it, but the history of it, like a paper trail. If Segal says it's not the original, then where is this supposed to come from? I thought like everyone else that there had  only 2 Sonics made for the Movie not 3. You'd think the producer would know?

If that's a fake it's one of the best ever made.  It matches screen shots well and every time I see it my heart races. 

What we really need is: either a verifiable provenance of this screwdriver from 1996 'til now (which the auction house might have?), or some heretofore-unseen, high quality/resolution images of the on-screen prop to compare. 
Sadly, the Tardis wiki tells me the movie has never been released in any higher than 480p (or upscaled therefrom). I wonder why it's never been on blu-ray?