An extremely rare example of Neil Armstrong's autograph from 1997 is among the highlights of PFC Auctions' latest sale, which closes on December 12.
 Armstrong stopped signing in 1994, but made concessions for certain individuals |
The autograph is written on the front of a menu from a dinner that the astronaut attended in Ireland. Armstrong famously stopped signing autographs for the public in 1994, so examples after this date are very scarce on the market.
The menu is currently selling for £500 ($818).
On April 19, 1997, Armstrong attended a meal hosted by Dick Spring, the then-deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister of Ireland. The Moonwalker was there to open an exhibition on space exploration at the Kerry Museum in Tralee.
The menu, sporting a fine example of Armstrong's signature, is accompanied by a letter of provenance from Ann Golden, wife of Irish representative to the European Space Agency, Seamus Chamberlain.
Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) was a private person who often rejected the fame that his pioneering Moon landing brought, preferring to attribute the impressive feat to the thousands of NASA workers who made the flight possible.
There has always been more demand than supply for his autograph, and this is reflected in its price, with the PFC40 Autograph Index showing the value of a museum-quality signed photograph at £7,950 ($13,000).
Armstrong's death in 2012 has spurred the market for his signature even further, and the dwindling supply has seen the value of these items rise an impressive 6% between 2012 and 2013.
The auction features a brilliant selection of space memorabilia, including some superb signed photographs of Armstrong and the Apollo 11 crew, as well as an unusual and controversial lot from Armstrong's barber.
