Collectibles Chat Ep. 11 - Charles Riser, the first astronaut autograph forger
/Collectibles Chat with Steve Zarelli, Zarelli Space Authentication; Reviewing a Wernher von Braun autograph and discussing Charles Riser forgeries.
Collectibles Chat with Steve Zarelli, Zarelli Space Authentication; Reviewing a Wernher von Braun autograph and discussing Charles Riser forgeries.
With the steady rise of autograph prices for signed photos of many astronauts, some collectors are turning to less costly options such as signed cuts and index cards. When done right, cuts and cards assembled in a matted display can make for an impressive presentation.
I frequently get requests for authentication of cards and cuts, and often the client will also ask, “what’s a fair price?”
I am not a dealer, but I follow the market pretty closely, so I think I can provide an educated ballpark estimate. Based on my observations, here are some estimated fair market values for astronaut signed index cards. Obviously, price may vary widely based upon condition, selling venue, signature quality, etc. I believe cuts from books and other sources will generally sell for less than signed index cards.
Moonwalkers
Neil Armstrong - $1,000 - $1,400
John Young - $300
Buzz Aldrin / Harrison Schmitt - $250
Charles Conrad / Jim Irwin / Dave Scott / Alan Shepard (neat full name) - $150
Bean / Shepard (sloppy shortened signature) / Mitchell / Duke / Cernan - $100
Other select astronauts
Gus Grissom / Ed White - $400
Mercury 7 (other than Grissom and Shepard) - $75
Roger Chaffee - $600+
Mike Collins - $200
Bill Anders - $350
Christa McAuliffe - $400
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