The Wikicollecting Top 10 Most Expensive Star Trek Original Series Memorabilia
September 8, 1966 saw the debut of one of television’s best-loved and influential shows. Viewers came face-to-face with the Final Frontier as the first regular episode of Star Trek was broadcast, spawning a franchise of films and spin-off shows that remains to this day.
Star Trek is also the very definition of cult television, and memorabilia relating to the original series is by far the most sought after by fans around the world.
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of its debut, users of Wikicollecting.org have compiled a list of the most expensive Star Trek TOS (The Original Series) memorabilia ever sold at auction.
10] An original Star Trek soundstage scale model – $40,000
To familiarise incoming directors with the layout of the original series soundstage at Desilu Studios, the Production Designer Matt Jefferies created a ¼” scale model of the stage layout in 1966.
This intact model appeared at auction 35 years later, and was sold by Profiles in History for a price of $40,000.
9] Original model Enterprise – $42,500
In December 2001, the only remaining prop model of the USS Enterprise to remain in private hands was sold at auction. Featuring electrically-lit nacelles, the model was used extensively for special effects shots during the original series.
It was sold during an auction in 2001 by profiles in History for a price of $42,500.
8] Original Tri-corder prop – $45,000
The most expensive hand-held prop on the list is an original 1966 Tricorder used in the first season.
It was sold during a Profiles in History sale in December 2001 for the price of $45,000, smashing its pre-sale estimate of $12,000 – $15,000
7] T’Pau’s costume from the episode Amok Time – $54,000
Season 2 Episode 1 of the original series, ‘Amok Time’, was the only episode to take place on Spock’s home planet of Vulcan. It featured Spock’s doomed return home to take part in an arranged marriage, and ended with Kirk fighting a Vulcan warrior to the death.
The episode also featured the female Vulcan character T’Pau, famously the only Vulcan to turn down a seat on the Federation Council. The costume worn by T’Pau, played by actress Celia Lovsky, was sold during the Christie’s ’40 years of Star Trek’ sale in New York in 2006 for a price of $54,000.
6] Original annotated ‘The Making of Star Trek’ typescript – $55,200
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield and Gene Roddenberry remains one of the most important reference books for Star Trek fans. Written in 1968, it details the creation and production of the original series in superb detail.
During a Christie’s sale of film and television memorabilia in New York in 1994, an original typescript copy of the book was offered for sale. It featured extensive hand-written revisions, alternate versions of chapters, a wealth of research material including interviews, letters and photographs, and even the original publishing contract for the book.
This unique treasure was sold for a then-record price of $55,200.
5] Joan Pearce’s Original Series scripts and archive collection – $55,000
The most comprehensive Star Trek archive to appear at auction is the collection of script researcher Joan Pearce, who worked on the entire franchise from the first episode of the original series to the final episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.
The TOS archive consisted of 240 vintage scripts covering every one of the 79 episodes produced, along with numerous alternative versions. It also featured completely comprehensive research notes, shooting schedules, feasibility reports for each story, and information relating to every aspect, storyline and detail of the original series.
The impressive archive was sold at a Profiles in History sale in July 2006 for a price of $55,000.
4] Enterprise Command Module – $80,000
The central command module from the USS Enterprise, from which Captain Kirk helmed the ship (slouched in the famous chair) appeared at auction in April 2003.
The original set piece, which appeared extensively in every episode of the original series, was sold by Profiles in History for a price of $80,000.
3] Spock’s tunic – $115,000
The most expensive TOS crew uniform belongs, unsurprisingly, to Mr Spock. His powder blue Starfleet First Officer’s tunic from TOS Season 3 was sold during a Profiles in History auction in April 2003 for a record price of $115,000 (excluding buyer’s premium).
However, it isn’t the most expensive TOS costume to be sold at auction…
2] Dr. Mccoy’s space suit from the episode “The Tholian Web” – $120,000
The most expensive costume ever sold from the original series in fact belonged to Dr McCoy. It’s a spacesuit worn by Bones during the Season 3 episode ‘The Tholian Web’, whilst the crew are exploring their apparently-deserted sister ship USS Defiant.
The silver lame suit included a fabric helmet with screen mesh visor, which may not have been particularly protective in space but was attractive enough for the lot to smash its estimate. Originally valued at $6,000 – $8,000, the suit sold for an incredible $144,000 at the Christie’s ’40 Years of Star Trek’ sale in New York in 2006.
1] Kirk’s Enterprise Command Chair – $265,000
In 1969 the original series set was scrapped by Paramount, but several parts were rescued by one lucky fan. Most notably, he managed to get his hands on Kirk’s iconic Captain’s chair, the centrepiece of the Enterprise set for the entire series.
More than 30 years later this chair became the most expensive piece of Star Trek TOS memorabilia ever sold. It appeared as part of the Profiles in History sale of the Bob Justman Collection in Los Angeles in 2002, and sold for the record price of $265,000 (excluding buyers premium).
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For more information on how you can get involved with the Wikicollecting project, visit http://en.wikicollecting.org/ or contact them at info@wikicollecting.org.
Photo by Jeanne Masar 
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