Firsthand Account of the Christie's Star Trek Auction

DustCollector writes to mention a Scientific American blog post about the highly successful Star Trek auction at Christie's on Thursday. The props, from many different shows, went for far more than was estimated. From the article: "The auction board flickered in perpetual motion as dollars changed along with the equivalent in euros, British pounds, Hong Kong dollars and Japanese yen (what, no quatloos?). Picard's Enterprise-E captain's chair, estimated to sell for $7,000-$8,000, went for $52,000. Two prop wine bottles of 'Chateau Picard,' estimated to go for $500 to $700, sold for $5,500. 'That's probably a record for empty wine bottles,' the auctioneer quipped. The sale prices so exceeded the estimated price that absentee bidders--those who place a maximum and hope for the best--hardly stood a chance: I counted only two successful absentee bids in the first 124 lots."

Shocking

[eldavojohn]

You know those guys we always used to beat up in gum class?

Yeah, they ended up with all the money.

I'm being sarcastic of course, I lacked the bicepts to ever raise a fist in anger/frustration ...

Well, you didn't go to spelling class either.

[attemptedgoalie]

What *DID* you do in school?

Poking fun. :-)

Re:Shocking

[Osty]

Yeah, they ended up with all the money.

But now they only have empty wine bottles, and Christie's has all the money.

Full scale models

[waynemcdougall]

Full-scale models of the Enterprise-A and Enterprise-D dominated the front of the room.

Full-scale? That must have been a large room.

Authenticate it!

[Anonymous Coward]

You better get some kind of certificate of authentication so your
parents can sell it after you move out of the basement.

Re:Authenticate it!

[bennomatic]

Yes, but have they ever kissed a girl?

Interesting comment about currencies.

[techno-vampire]

I found the number of currencies used interesting, and can imagine the work needed to get them converted back and forth fast enough to keep up with the action. One thing, though, there was no mention of bars of gold-pressed latinum.

Re:Picard's Flute

[kfg]

I've always wanted a 4,000,000 pennies whistle.

KFG

Re:Shocking

[Anonymous Coward]

I was always made to get rid of my gum in class.

Re:Authenticate it!

[morcego]

They can afford their own girls :)
*ducks and hide*

Re:Forget all the props, I'd be happy with ..

[Anonymous Coward]

You want it. here it is.

Al2O3, also known as Transparent alumina.

You people should know full well most of Gene's ideas were BASED on real science. Transporters, Tractor Beam, Deuterium, Antimater are all real.

What to do?

[edwardpickman]

Cure world hunger or bid on an original Enterprise model. Decisions, decisions.

If I had that kinda money...

[r_bertram42]

I'd hire Bill Shatner to sing me a "happy birthday" song. Will be worth every penny (or quatloo)!

Somewhere in the Universe

[ndogg]

A ferengi is crying happy tears.

Re:If I had that kinda money...

[Tablizer]

I'd hire Bill Shatner to sing me a "happy birthday" song. Will be worth every penny

I don't know dude. Based in his previous commericial recording experiments, I don't think I want to be there when he hits a note that no man has hit before.
   

Re:Interesting comment about currencies.

[uvajed_ekil]

One thing, though, there was no mention of bars of gold-pressed latinum.

This was essentially a memorabilia auction, and as such consisted mainly of props and not metals/currency. For the current prices of metals, you may want to look to the New York Mercantile Exchange, and google for precious metals retailers. I'd give you a direct link for gold-pressed latinum, but I think my computer is acting up, as I can't seem to find a good one just now.

"Computer, what are the nearest sources of gold-pressed latinum" yields no results, for me.

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