Michael Collins private signing at Astronaut Central

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On March 3, Novaspace/Astronaut Central conducted a private signing with Michael Collins. This is the one signing Collins does all year and he refuses all other requests, paid or through the mail. I sometimes feel like I have to take advantage of the "one time a year opportunity."

The challenge with Collins is there are not a whole lot of great individual poses for him. Certainly one could send the standard white space suit or business suit pose, but in all candor, you can get those on the secondary market for less than Collin's signing fee. So, if you are going to send something in, you need to make it worth your while.

With the help of a friend, I found this great Collins bubble helmet pose, so I had to get it signed for my collection.

Collins, Michael - Bubble Helmet SP web.jpg

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014!

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With 12 moonwalker signed photo, November 2013.

With 12 moonwalker signed photo, November 2013.

Thanks to everyone who helped make 2013 a good year for Steve Zarelli Space Authentication. I am grateful for all the collectors and dealers who have supported me; the CollectSPACE community and Robert Pearlman; the classy crew at RR Auction; Jimmy, Jimbo, Eric and the rest at JSA; Mike Constantine from Moonpans; Mike and Larry at SGC Authentic; the UACC and many more.

I feel very blessed to be able to do something I enjoy, work with talented professionals and help people grow their collections safely and with confidence.

My best wishes to you and yours for a happy and healthy 2014.

Happy Collecting!

The most valuable astronaut signed photo?

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At Steve Zarelli Space Authentication, I review thousands of autographed astronaut photos every year. Also, as a collector for over 15 years, I have seen many, many more.

So what is the most valuable and desirable single signed astronaut photo? Most people would probably assume it is a photo signed by Neil Armstrong. Armstrong unpersonalized white space suit portrait photos with a strong signature can fetch $5,000+. In a RR Auction Space Auction last fall, this Neil Armstrong signed photo closed at $14,350.

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All that said, I will submit that the most valuable single signed astronaut photo is an unpersonalized white space suit photo signed by an astronaut many generalist collectors may not have heard of before - Jim Irwin.

Jim Irwin was the 8th man to walk on the moon with Apollo 15. He was a good signer prior to his untimely death in 1991. He signed many, many items and Irwin signatures can be had for as little as $30 - $50 on postal covers, cards, etc.

So, why would he be the most valuable single signed astronaut photo? He hated his NASA white space suit portrait and didn't like signing it. If you sent him one, he would send another signed photo instead. I estimate I see 100 Neil Armstrong signed white space suit portraits for every one Irwin signed white space suit portrait. They are that rare. A handful come to market a year, and even less unpersonalized. Irwin frequently personalized, so unpersonalized examples are exceedingly rare.

And what makes this so valuable is many space collectors try to collect the "set" of white space suit portraits. So you have many collectors competing for an extremely rare signed item, even if an Irwin signature itself is very common.

Perhaps the finest Jim Irwin signed white space suit photo in existence is currently featured in the RR Auction Fall Space Auction. Not only is it signed perfectly, it boasts an exceptional inscription, "Apollo 15 LMP, 8th moon walker, the chance of a lifetime."

Super rare and desirable Jim Irwin unpersonalized white space suit portrait

Super rare and desirable Jim Irwin unpersonalized white space suit portrait

As I write this, bidding is up to $7,560 with over 5 days to go. I would not be shocked to see this break $12,000.

Interestingly, after I reviewed and approved this item and the auction preview went online, noted collector and dealer Ken Havekotte wrote on CollectSpace that he obtained this directly from Irwin when Irwin visited his Merritt Island, FL, home in July 1987. Havekotte went on to write he sold it many years ago, so apparently he is not the current consignor.

 

Steve Zarelli
Zarelli Space Authentication