Moonwalkers Autographs

When Neil Armstrong planted his left foot in the lunar dust, his name was destined to live forever.

But could he have imagined that, 35 years later, people would pay small fortunes to have that name scrawled on a photo or piece of paper?

An authentic Armstrong autograph is one of the most sought-after items in the lucrative "astro-autograph" industry.

In fact, signatures from any of the dozen men who walked on the moon between 1969 and 1972 are popular with collectors.

While Armstrong refuses to sign these days, his colleague on the Apollo 11 mission, Buzz Aldrin, regularly commands at least £150 ($280) for a signed photo.

Buzz Aldrin charges hundreds of dollars to sign

Collecting autographs is a hobby, and like all hobbies there are various levels of financial commitment."

People desire Apollo autographs for nostalgic reasons and an "ersatz connection" with the astronauts.

In the UK, memorabilia specialists Sportizus also sell plenty of space memorabilia.

Manager of the Nottingham branch, Mike McGee, says: "People have that fascination because space, and especially the moon, is a place so few people will ever get to visit.

"There is always high demand, and Neil Armstrong remains the holy grail of space autographs."

A high-quality signature from Armstrong could be worth up to £3,500 ($6,600), Mr McGee said.

Astronaut Autograph Tips

To the untrained eye, genuine autographs are hard to spot Many fakes are sold Certificates of authenticity are no guarantee Experts say buyers should take their time and research