This signed large globe bearing the signatures of all three Apollo 11 astronauts - Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins - is among the most historically resonant objects a space memorabilia collector can own. One of those signatures belongs to Buzz Aldrin, the Lunar Module Pilot who became the second human being to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. A globe - the very form of the Earth the three men left behind during that eight-day mission - serves as a powerful, symbolic canvas for their names. For collectors, this item represents the complete Apollo 11 crew, a once-in-civilization achievement, and an artifact that will only grow more significant with time.
About Buzz Aldrin
Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. was born on January 20, 1930, in Montclair, New Jersey. He earned his Bachelor of Science from West Point, flew 66 combat missions as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War, and went on to earn a Doctorate in Astronautics from MIT - making him one of the most academically credentialed astronauts of his era. His doctoral thesis on orbital rendezvous mechanics directly shaped the techniques used during NASA's Gemini and Apollo missions. Aldrin first flew in space on Gemini 12 in 1966, performing a then-record 5.5-hour spacewalk that proved human beings could work effectively in the vacuum of space.
His defining moment came on July 20, 1969, when he descended the ladder of the Eagle lunar module and stepped onto the surface of the Moon, minutes after Neil Armstrong. His observation of the landscape - "magnificent desolation" - remains one of the most quoted phrases in the history of exploration. After Apollo 11, Aldrin continued to advocate passionately for human Mars exploration, founding the ShareSpace Foundation and publishing multiple books on the future of space travel. He has remained one of the most active signers among living Apollo astronauts, with his signatures regularly authenticated by PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) and JSA (James Spence Authentication), the two most respected third-party authentication bodies for space memorabilia. Owning a Buzz Aldrin signature is owning a direct physical connection to one of humanity's greatest achievements.
About This Specific Item
The large globe format is one of the most striking and narratively appropriate canvases in the space memorabilia category. Unlike a flat photograph or a printed lithograph, a globe embodies the very planet that Apollo 11's crew orbited, departed from, and returned to. The phrase "Around Large Globe" references both the physical object and the conceptual arc of the mission - three men who circled the Earth, left it, and came back forever changed. The globe format allows all three signatures to coexist with natural visual balance, each astronaut's name occupying space on the curved surface that stands in for their shared journey.
Neil Armstrong commanded the mission and was the first to set foot on the lunar surface, descending the Eagle's ladder at 10:56 PM EDT on July 20, 1969. Michael Collins piloted the Command Module Columbia in lunar orbit - the lone figure circling the Moon while his crewmates descended - and has been called by some historians the most isolated human being in history at that moment. Together, the three signatures represent the complete Apollo 11 crew: the commander, the pilot who stayed above, and the man who walked second. No single mission crew has had a greater collective impact on human civilization, and no signed item captures that completeness more elegantly than one bearing all three names on a globe - the world they left, and to which they triumphantly returned.
Rarity and Scarcity
The rarity profile of this item is shaped by two very different signing histories. Neil Armstrong is the most significant factor: he stopped signing autographs in 1994, citing the commercialization of his signature and concerns about fraud. He passed away on August 25, 2012, leaving behind an estimated 55,000 to 60,000 total signed items in the market - a number that sounds large until you consider global collector demand over decades. Authenticated Armstrong signatures on meaningful items like globes have become increasingly finite, and values have accelerated sharply since his death. A single Armstrong signature on a quality item routinely brings four figures at major auction houses.
Buzz Aldrin, as of 2025, remains an active signer. His signatures appear with relative frequency in the authenticated market, which moderates their individual value compared to Armstrong's. However, a triple-signed item combining Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins is not simply the sum of three individual signatures - it is a complete crew piece, and those carry a premium that reflects the difficulty of assembling three signatures, particularly Armstrong's post-1994 freeze. Michael Collins, who passed away on April 28, 2021, signed regularly throughout his lifetime and was generally accessible to the collector market, but his death now places his signature in the same finite supply category as Armstrong's. A triple-signed globe is a closed artifact: no new examples of this combination can ever be created. That permanence is what drives the value trajectory of complete Apollo 11 crew-signed pieces over the long term.
Authentication and What to Look For
For space memorabilia, PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) and JSA (James Spence Authentication) are the industry-standard third-party certifiers. A PSA-graded item comes with a tamper-evident label embedded in a hard plastic holder, a unique certification number, and a population report showing how many examples of a given signature have been graded at each level. JSA provides a signed Letter of Authenticity (LOA) or a sticker-based certification with a corresponding certificate. Both organizations maintain searchable online databases where buyers can verify the authenticity of any certified item before purchase.
For Buzz Aldrin's signature specifically, collectors should look for bold, consistent letterforms. Aldrin's autograph typically features a clear "B," a connected loop structure in "Buzz," and a deliberate quality that reflects his engineering precision. Forged Aldrin signatures often appear rushed or inconsistent in pen pressure. Neil Armstrong signatures carry the highest scrutiny in the hobby: post-1994 Armstrong signatures in particular should be authenticated by PSA or JSA before any significant purchase. Gauntlet Gallery's verification process draws on a database of over 160,000 comparable sales, expert consultation, and third-party certification review to ensure every piece we offer meets the authentication standard that serious collectors depend on. Contact us for full provenance documentation on this specific item.
Value Context
Complete Apollo 11 triple-signed items - those bearing authenticated signatures from Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins - represent the premium tier of the space memorabilia category. At Heritage Auctions, triple-signed Apollo 11 photographs and lithographs have achieved results ranging from $3,500 to over $15,000 depending on item type, size, condition, and the quality of individual signatures. RR Auction and Bonhams Space History sales reflect similar ranges, with large-format items like globes typically commanding premiums over flat paper due to their display impact and three-dimensional presence.
The Armstrong signature is the primary value driver in any triple-signed Apollo 11 piece. Items featuring Armstrong's signature alone - particularly those with clear provenance predating his 1994 cutoff - have sold in the $2,000 to $8,000 range for quality pieces. When combined with Aldrin and Collins to form a complete crew item, the multiplier effect is significant. Condition matters considerably in this category: a globe in Excellent condition, with signatures showing strong, unsmudged ink and no fading, will outperform a comparable item in lesser condition by 30% to 60% in auction results. This item is graded Excellent. For current pricing, contact Gauntlet Gallery directly - our team provides personalized valuations grounded in live market data from our 160,000+ comparable sales database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Buzz Aldrin signature authenticated?
Yes. Gauntlet Gallery only offers space memorabilia with PSA or JSA third-party authentication. Every certification includes a unique identifier verifiable in the authenticator's online database. Contact us for full documentation on this specific item.
How rare is a Buzz Aldrin signed Apollo 11 large globe with all three crew signatures?
Buzz Aldrin remains an active signer as of 2025. But a globe bearing Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins together is far rarer - Armstrong stopped signing in 1994 and passed in 2012; Collins passed in 2021. No new complete crew pieces can ever be assembled. The supply is permanently closed.
What is this item worth?
Triple-signed Apollo 11 pieces typically achieve $3,500 to $15,000+ at Heritage, RR Auction, and Bonhams depending on format, condition, and signature quality. For a personalized valuation of this specific Excellent-condition globe, contact Gauntlet Gallery directly.
Where can I buy authenticated Buzz Aldrin memorabilia?
Gauntlet Gallery specializes in authenticated space memorabilia with PSA/JSA verification. Browse our collection at gauntlet.gallery/collections/space-memorabilia.
Ready to add a piece of Apollo 11 history to your collection? Browse authenticated space memorabilia - including signed items from Apollo astronauts - at Gauntlet Gallery's Space Memorabilia collection. Contact us for pricing and full provenance details on this specific triple-signed large globe.
