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Pie in the sky? Space collectibles could be your ticket to the stars
Apollo 11 signatures are at the forefront in a growing appreciation for space collectibles
Come Wednesday it will be 42 years since the first moon landing on July 20, 1969.
Apollo 11's mission was one of the key events of the 20th century and has had a dramatic impact on the collectibles market.
Those new to the collectibles game are often surprised by the growing interest for space memorabilia, such as rare autographs of the first man on the moon Neil Armstrong, or space flown items and shuttle parts.
 A lithograph signed by all three Apollo 11 crew members made $5,875 at Goldberg in 2010 |
But when one considers that only a handful of people have ever ventured into space and just a dozen have walked on the moon's surface, it becomes easier to understand why collectors are beginning to want to own these rare pieces of history.
And with rarity comes a surge in demand, and price.
Take Neil Armstrong, who stopped signing autographs in the early 1990s.
According to the sector's PFC 40 Autograph Index, the value of his average signature increased from £550 in 2000 to £5,950 in 2011, a meteoric rise of 981.8%.
Or consider the Apollo 11 crew as a whole. A signed photo containing all three signatures has increased in value from £2,000 to £9,500 in the past 11 years.
Yet despite these alluring figures, the field of space collectibles has remained relatively unexplored territory for many collectors and high-net worth individuals.
This means many entry-level collectors still have a chance to pick up a signature whose value could rise in the coming decades.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, we expect the fascination and demand for space memorabilia to grow substantially.
But you can get the jump on your fellow collectors by buying now.
We will be covering the Apollo 11 anniversary all week so make sure you check back here regularly.
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