Fascinating Nasa auction, by Skinner Auctions, captures global attention and sets high standards for the sale of Nasa collectibles.  Mearto has interviewed Skinner and examined the auction results to give you a quick analysis of this fascinating auction.

Anticipation was high to the Nasa auction at Skinner and it surely did not disappoint. A lot of different global newspapers wrote about the auction and it was one of the most quoted auctions this year by traditional media. It normally happens that mainstream media pick up auctions when they tap into a popular topic and space missions is certainly one of these topics. The themed auction is an interesting phenomenon that has seen an increase over the last few years. Last week we saw another themed auction when the furnishing from the famous danish restaurant Noma was sold off.

The sale results at the Nasa auction were in line with the expectations and estimate range, and the total sold with the buyer’s premium ($489, 202) exceeded the high estimate. It also drew a lot of new and international bidders and had wide interest across specialties. The auction market needs these themed auction to capture the interest of a broader and younger audience.

The Apollo 8 Earthrise surprised Skinner (lot 126) however it were expected to be of high interest, but the excellent quality of the print drew especially competitive bidding. Skinner were also pleased with how well the early material from the Mercury and Gemini missions sold.

Here is 5 Highlights from the auction that surprised in a positive direction:

Lot 14 – John Glenn, The first photograph from space taken by man: the Sun illuminating the Earth, Mercury-Atlas 6, $7,995


Lot 126 – William Anders, First Earthrise seen by human eyes, Apollo 8, $17,220


Lot 204 – Buzz Aldrin, The footprint on the Moon, Apollo 11, $6,150


Lot 234 – Michael Collins, Lunar Module Eagle and Earthrise, Apollo 11, $6,150


Lot 350 – David Scott, Lunar Rover “RIP” panorama with the Lunar Module Falcon, the flag, and James Irwin in the distance, EVA 3, Apollo 15, $5,227