Fred Haise and Jack Swigert: Apollo 13's Under-Collected Crew Members

Fred Haise and Jack Swigert: Apollo 13's Under-Collected Crew Members

Apollo 13 is dominated in collector consciousness by commander Jim Lovell. The other two crew members, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, represent significantly less-collected but equally present-on-the-mission names whose signed material trades at a meaningful discount to Lovell — a discount that arguably exceeds the historical difference in their respective roles.

Jack Swigert: The Estate Premium

Jack Swigert died on December 27, 1982 — just days before he was to be sworn in as a Congressman from Colorado. His death means his signatures are permanently capped. The collector market has not fully priced in this supply constraint: Swigert material remains relatively accessible compared to Lovell, despite representing the rarest signature of the three Apollo 13 crew members. This is one of the clearer underpricing situations in space memorabilia.

Fred Haise: Living and Accessible

Fred Haise is still living and has remained accessible to the collector market over the decades. His signatures are available at modest prices — the most accessible point of entry into Apollo 13 crew memorabilia. Haise also flew the Space Shuttle Enterprise in approach and landing tests in 1977, meaning his signatures span two significant programs.

Complete Apollo 13 Crew Pieces

All three crew members on a single item requires a Swigert signature (deceased 1982), limiting supply meaningfully. Pieces with all three authenticated signatures command premiums above individual Lovell pieces, reflecting the genuine scarcity of Swigert material in combination.