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Author
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Topic: Value of ASTP model ex Walter Kapryan
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Space Junk Punk
Member Posts: 48
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Jul 2021
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posted 09-04-2025 11:33 AM
   
I have a 1/50 scale Apollo Soyuz Test Project model by Pac Mini that belonged to Apollo Launch Director Walter Kapryan and along with it a few other items tying his association to the ASTP and the model: - Apollo Soyuz Mission Evaluation Report JSC-10607, 1975, KSC/LO/W. Kapryan
- Award of Appreciation plaque to Kapryn from McDonnell Douglas, 1983
- Original ASTP CCCP Name Badge for Kapryan from the Academy of Science USSR
- Certificate showing that Kapryan was awarded the S.P. Korolev Medal by the Federation of Cosmonautics of the USSR, Jan 27, 1876
- Original ASTP USSR Soyuz Mission Decal
- Original ASTP USA Apollo Mission Decal
The model is excellent shape with all the antennas and small parts on it, but I'm wondering how the Kapryan association affects the models value, if at all. 
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GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 3218
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 09-04-2025 12:46 PM
One, model only, sold at Heritage Auctions Nov 1, 2023 for $4687 with buyer's premium. |
randyc
Member Posts: 954
From: Highlands Ranch, CO USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 09-04-2025 01:05 PM
That was in 2013, not 2023. Prices for this model have dropped since 2013. This model also sold for $750 (with the Buyer Premium) in 2018 and $1437.50 (with the Buyer Premium) in 2017 at Heritage auctions. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 3218
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 09-04-2025 01:25 PM
Thank you for the correction, I saw the others at Heritage but this came up first thus I thought the newest, I must have projected the date as 2023. The $1K to $1.5K feels more reasonable for sure. I thought RR auction had one more recently but could not find any. I will check my auction catalog collection and see if there are any other outliers. I would assume the 2013 price was higher as there had not been many seen at that time. Found this on Invaluable in 2021: Lot 220: Vintage Apollo Soyuz Contractors ModelSold: $2,800 USD Bid Again Auctions with American Space Museum Orlando, FL, US April 10, 2021 |
Space Junk Punk
Member Posts: 48
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Jul 2021
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posted 09-05-2025 05:00 AM
Thanks for posting about that sale, I haven't been able to find any recent offerings for this model so it's been hard to feel out it's worth. I know that top end price of $4k over 10 years ago was for a model that came from the collection of an official NASA photographer, so I would assume that the Kapryan association would add value as well, especially the items from Russia. These types of models can have a real deceptive value I feel, so I guess it will still take a little more work to find out it's worth. Of course there's appraisal value, auction value, and market value so that makes it a little more complicated. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 3218
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 09-05-2025 07:05 AM
For me, and remember this my preference only, I hold no value in the person that owned the model. Even if was Stafford's himself, the model display shows no difference. Signed models, which some collectors dislike, do hold more value for me but would not take this $1K max model to $4K. And again this is just me, my model collector joy is in the model not the original owner. This is why auction prices are flicked; you have to have the right person bidding to get the max price. |
Space Junk Punk
Member Posts: 48
From: Atlanta, GA, USA
Registered: Jul 2021
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posted 09-05-2025 09:26 AM
It sure seems some auction houses would lead one to believe that where an item came from is something to consider when they market collections from estates of notable aerospace pioneers and NASA figures. I suppose the case can be argued fairly well in the case of astronauts, but anyone other than that group is anyone's guess. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 3218
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 09-05-2025 09:49 AM
Auctions houses want to maximize profit so they will always try to make it sound the most valuable as they can. I always like the "rare or one of a kind" description. One of the large Thor rockets we have in our living room was described as a "one of a kind" in an auction. I now have three of those.  |
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