Auction Preview: Astronaut Photos Take Flight

Collect Auctions has become well known for offering signed sets, vending boxes and signatures of historical figures. That tradition continues in the company’s upcoming sale, adding a couple new stalwarts to the list – astronaut signed rarities and complete postwar sets.

Kicking off the auction (which ends Aug. 8) are two space-related signed pieces that you simply don’t see very often. The first is a Space Shuttle Challenger crew-signed NASA 8-by-10 photo authenticated by PSA/DNA. On Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff, killing all seven crew members including teacher Christa McAuliffe, the first participant in the Teacher in Space program.

The second space-related piece in the sale is a Apollo 11 crew-signed photo with Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin (PSA/DNA).

“These are two of arguably the most sought after pieces in space autograph collecting,” said Steve Bloedow, auction director of Collect Auctions.

Another pair of signed beauties in the auction are game-used bats from Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Kirby Puckett. Musial’s hardware comes from the 1949 season and is graded PSA/DNA 7.5. Puckett’s bat, graded PSA/DNA 10, comes from the 1992-93 season and was a rare model from a single order.

Other Puckett items in the sale include a 1995 game-used Twins jersey presented to Rod Carew that is signed by both Hall of Famers and a 1989 game-used signed Wilson glove.

More autographed highlights include a Babe Ruth signed 1939 envelope (PSA/DNA 9); high-grade 1971 HOF Induction multi-signed baseball with 25 signatures including Paige, Greenberg and DiMaggio; Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella (twice), Jesse Owens and others signed baseball (11 signatures); Lou Gehrig signed 1927 Comiskey scorecard; an exceedingly rare Noah Webster signed, handwritten letter (1828); and a one-of-a-kind multi-signed Baseball in the 1950s book that contains 700 signatures with more than 100 Hall of Famers, including Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Nellie Fox and Satchel Paige.

Baseball set collectors will have the opportunity to grab any set produced from 1952-present in the Collect Auctions sale, which includes a 1952 Topps Baseball low number near set (309).

As mentioned, signed complete sets are a familiar genre at Collect Auctions, and this sale will include the following: 1987 Fleer Baseball, 1982 TCMA Great Players (16/20 with Mantle, Williams, DiMaggio) and 1964 Topps Giants near set (56 with Mantle, Fox, Boyer, Farrell).

Collect Auctions will also have a fine selection of game-used jerseys. Derek Jeter 2002 Yankees jersey (MEARS A5), Barry Larkin 1988 Reds home jersey, Joe Mauer 2003 signed New Britain Rock Cats Harley-Davidson jersey and Miguel Cabrera 2003 Marlins World Series jersey (MEARS A5) top the list.

The auction will also field numerous signed artifacts related to the 1980 Miracle on Ice U.S. hockey team, and there are 75 vintage Green Bay Packers photos in the lineup.
For more information on the sale, visit www.collectauctions.com or call (888) 463-3063.