posted 09-10-2012 10:43 PM               

The question(s) are:

• Would you keep them all?
  
• If not, why not?
  
• How would you culled the collection? (I suppose a list of the missions and flown item may help, which I am working on).

posted 09-11-2012 01:37 AM               

I prize every flown item in my collection, despite having many redundant items and only one with a personal connection (it was awarded to my mom for work she did with STS-39).

Flown items might be less unique to people who've worked with the program or to serious collectors, although to the average person, seeing something that was flown in space is much more memorable.

That's why I also like keeping my items on display so that I can share them with people. I don't have room to display everything at once, although I do alternate what I have on my walls/shelves when I feel like it. I'm also loaning some of my items to a local museum, and considering loaning others to schools. I remember many years ago, one of the elementary schools I'd attended had a framed flag which was flown, and it certainly left a very good impression.

Another way I look at it is that when I'm much older, this stuff will likely be much more valuable. Meaning that if necessary, it could be a good investment to my kids or grand kids.

posted 09-11-2012 02:13 PM               

• Shuttle/MIR flag (STS-91) with certificate
  
• RRMD experiment patch (STS-84?) with certificate
  
• USAF Master Space badge (STS 51-J) on plaque
  
• 6555th ASTG Spacecraft Division pin (STS-28) on plaque
  
• STS-27 patch with certificate
  
• OASIS II experiment patch (STS-27) with certificate
  
• OASIS experiment patch (STS-29) with certificate
  
• STS-28 patch with landing photo
  
• US Flag (STS-28) with certificate
  
• STIC contract patch (STS-28) with certificate
  
• STS-33 patch with launch photo
  
• STS-36 patch with certificate
  
• STS-38 patch with certificate
  
• 6555th ASTG Spacecraft Division patch (STS-38) with certificate
  
• US Flag (STS-39) with certificate
  
• 6555th ASTG Spacecraft Division patch (STS-39) with certificate
  
• STS-44 patch with certificate
  
• STS-44 patch with certificate (different from above)
  
• STS-53 mission and 6555th ASTG Spacecraft Division patch with certificate
  
• US Flag (STS-53) with certificate
  
• Spacehab Program Flag (STS-57) with certificate
  
• STS-60 patch with certificate
  
• STS-63 patch with certificate
  
• STS-76 patch with certificate
  
• STS-77 patch with certificate
  
• STS-81 patch with certificate
  
• STS-86 patch with certificate
  
• STS-91 patch with certificate
  
• STS-95 patch with certificate
  
• Undocumented STS-96, 101 and 106 patches

posted 09-12-2012 01:21 AM               

If you worked on something for a Shuttle mission the flown presentation is a memento of that work but it's just a souvenir. Someone who worked on a whole string of missions, as is typical, ends up with dozens of such presentations. Each job was 'special' of course, so each presentation is 'special', but they don't need to keep a particular presentation to remind themselves of having done that work.

Even the astronauts eventually reach a stage where they have passed on some items to kids, grandkids and friends, but don't feel they need to hang on to all the other items they kept from their missions. In the end the flown items are just souvenirs. Parting with them doesn't take away the memories of the actual flight.

If I was in Jim's situation I'd make sure there's a flown presentation for every child/grandchild, a couple of favourites for a wall somewhere in the house, then I don't see any problem with selling the others.

posted 09-12-2012 10:25 AM               

I will add to this:

quote:

---

Originally posted by spaced out:
There are thousands upon thousands of these presentations out there. Right now the majority are in the collections of those they were awarded to but as the decades go by they will appear on eBay in ever greater numbers, starting with the earlier missions and moving on up through the years.

---

posted 09-12-2012 10:44 AM               

With 133 returned missions there is a lot of material out there that can come on to the market. As the workers on the missions age and pass away, or those that were laid off need money, more shuttle flown items will start to show up on eBay and at other auction venues and lower prices may follow.

I believe the pool of collectors is shrinking and until we return to space in a meaningful and exciting way(a manned mission to Mars for example) it will continue to do so.