Posts: 44
From: Chicago
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 11-02-2012 07:46 PM               

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I am relatively new to the hobby and am trying to get a handle on the direction of the market on flown items.

How are prices trending?

Up, down, sideways?

I'm just starting to try to analyze the market, and would love to take advantage of some of the expert's opinions here. I am sure many of you have a good feel for the market and I would appreciate any guidance you may have on flown item's pricing trajectory.

Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 11-02-2012 08:34 PM               

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Welcome to collectSPACE! I'm sure you will find lots of knowledgable folks here who will share their thoughts regarding flown items or just about anything else.

My advice would be to start out small and do your research first before you dive in. Start out by purchasing only from reputable dealers, and remember that with flown items provenance is everything. You absolutely, positively must have some way to prove that an item was flown -- otherwise, it is either "purportedly flown" or "possibly flown". The best provenance would be having a signed letter or other document from the astronaut who carried or used the item in space.

As far as value is concerned, the answer is "it depends". For example, two weeks ago if you had said, "How much is a 4x6 flag flown on GT-IV worth?", I would have said "probably $1,000-1,500 or so". Now, since Novaspace released an entire flag kit from GT-IV certified as flown by Jim McDivitt, that value may have changed. The bottom line is, the item is valued at whatever someone will pay for it.

So, in conclusion, my advice is: Don't worry too much how much flown items are worth. Be aware how much they ought to cost, collect what you like, preserve the items in your collection so future generations can benefit from their continued existence, and... someday... if they end up being worth more than you paid for them, consider it a bonus!

Posts: 44
From: Chicago
Registered: Oct 2012

Posts: 798
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registered: Jan 2003

Posts: 427
From: Pampa, TX, US
Registered: May 2011

posted 11-04-2012 10:20 PM               

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Items are only worth as much as people will pay. Just because one person may shell out $1000 on an item, it doesn't mean that anyone else — the same item could be only worth $100 to others.

I have however noticed that people are trying to sell space shuttle items for higher prices now that that program is over. Some have been successful in raising the price (for example, the selling price of most tiles have inflated considerably) while others have not.