“One small step for man…”
In 2011, RR Auction took the leap to sell space artifacts. Since adopting the category, we have become the best venue for those looking to sell space and astronaut-related memorabilia, with $60 million in total sales. Each year, RR Auction holds two Space and Aviation events in addition to a special section in our monthly auctions. Our sales achieve incredible results with our offerings of flown artifacts, autographs and photographs, and spaceship hardware – and we have the numbers to prove it.
2022 saw the sale of NASA astronaut Wally Schirra’s 18K gold Omega Speedmaster Professional 1969 Apollo 11 commemorative watch for $1.9 million. Since then, multiple Omega Speedmasters customized for other astronauts including Gus Grissom, Alan Bean, and Ron Evans have gone under the hammer, each earning final bids over $290,000. Other notable sales include Dave Scott’s Apollo 15 lunar surface chronograph, Gene Cernan’s Apollo 17 flown cuff checklist, and a flown lunar module rotational hand controller from the Apollo 15 mission.
Former moonwalkers like Charlie Duke have partnered with RR Auction to sell mission-used equipment. Duke recently offered his lunar surface-used moon rock scoop from the Apollo 16 mission in one of our sales – an artifact straight from his personal collection. Using the scoop, Duke and his crewmate John Young collected over 200 pounds of lunar soil samples, including the largest moon rock ever collected, ‘Big Muley.’ RR featured this artifact as part of the second Space Exploration and Aviation auction in October 2023, where it sold for an astronomical $875,000.
Duke isn’t the only former astronaut to consign with RR. Back in 2016, fellow Apollo alum Dave Scott offered his lunar surface-used 500mm Zeiss lens from the Apollo 15 mission – which earned a final selling price of $453,282. Since then, Scott has trusted RR with the sales of multiple signed manuals and logbooks from his time at NASA. Families of great space travelers like Alan Bean also have an outlet to share pieces from their family member’s personal collections through us.
On the part of our bidders, they come to us to find pieces in the curation of their personal collections. Last December, consignor Dr. Michael Warner loaned out his private collection for a new exhibition called The Space Vault – much of which came from RR Auction.
We always get our consignors the remarkable results they’re seeking for their ultra-rare artifacts. Take the leap and make history with the leading auction house in space memorabilia.
Sell your space memorabilia!
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