Julien’s Auctions held a Star Trek auction on Saturday, November 9, 2024, in Los Angeles, and Star Trek fans spent a jaw-dropping $3.6 million on props Star Trek: The Original Series and others Star Trek TV shows and movies. Held as part of the Infinity Festival, Juilien’s Big Long & Prosper auction featured rare screen-used costumes, jewelry and props, as well as concept art, scripts and more in more than 200 lots. The Bid Long & Prosper auction was held at The Aster Hotel in Hollywood and was streamed live on YouTube and julienautics.com.
I was lucky enough to be invited to Star TrekBid Long & Prosper Auction, thanks to Christopher Black, the founder of Good Form PR. The auction was a featured event at the Infinity Festival, a multi-day series of exhibits, panels, screenings and special events centered around “history-enabled technology.” Infinity Festival investigates cutting-edge gaming, technology, AI, media and entertainment involving arts and storytelling. Naturally, Star Trek occupies a special place at Infinity Festival.
Star Trek Fans Spent $3.6 Million on TOS and TNG Accessories in Exciting Auction
TOS props sold at record prices
The Julien’s Bid Long & Prosper auction was a four-hour event held live at The Aster and streamed on YouTube and the Julien’s Auction website, where fans could register and bid on items. The items that obtained the highest amounts were a “phaser hero” used on screen by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek: The Original Serieswhich went to an astonishing $910,000! A communicator also used by Kirk was sold for US$780,000. You can watch the 4-hour YouTube stream of the auction above, and I recorded video of the phaser and communicator bidding, which you can watch below:
Bid Long & Prosper was the first auction I attended, and although I had no hope of being able to compete with the values Star Trek the fans were bidding, it was more exciting than I expected to see items being sold at exorbitant prices. See props like Captain Kirk’s phaser and communicator fetching literal fortunes, and Kirk’s screen-worn tunic and pants going for $455,000, while tattered and worn props like the USS Enterprise’s rudder and navigation console selling for $455,000. $260,000 was jaw-dropping.
Even the Tribbles aren’t cheap, as they cost $1,300.
If I could have afforded it, I could have offered the original Star Trek: Deep Space Nine miniature of the space station, sold for US$254,000or the signed script “What You Leave Behind,” which cost $7,800. Captain Kathryn Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) bridge command chair Star Trek: Voyager raised $41,275, while an original bridge chair from the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series it was worth even more, reaching US$44,450. A red female Terms of Service uniform sold for a whopping $114,300, while two T’Pol costumes were won by Jolene Blalock in Star Trek: Enterprise each sold for more than $19,000. Even the Tribbles aren’t cheap, as they cost $1,300.
Star Trek actors and producers discussed the past, present and future of the franchise
John Billingsley, Trevor Roth and David C. Fein were guests on a Star Trek panel
Before the Bid Long & Prosper auction begins, a special panel at 9 a.m. titled Star Trek: Legacy – What it takes to build and maintain an iconic franchise was performed live at The Aster. The speakers were John Billingsley, who played Dr. Phlox in Star Trek: EnterpriseTrevor Roth, COO of Roddenberry Entertainment, and David C. Fein, producer of Star Trek: The Movie – Director’s Cut. The three guests discussed various aspects of Star Trekhistory, why Star Trek endures as a franchise, and as Star Trek continues to evolve.
David C. Fein has given a fascinating summary of how Star Trek: Phase II turned into Star Trek: the movieand how Robert Wise came on board to direct. John Billingsley credited Star Trek: Enterprisefor the creation of the Denobulan species, and he talked about playing Dr. Phlox as part of the Enterprise NX-01’s first trips into space. Trevor Roth discussed how any new Star Trek project must adhere to certain important principles to be recognizably Star Trek, but that the franchise needs to continue to evolve and remain relevant. All in all, it was a fascinating discussion about the past, present and future of Star Trek.
Star Trek auction is a reminder of the franchise’s enduring popularity
There is no franchise like Star Trek
I discovered this being a Star Trek fan is continued education as Star Trek spans generationswith millions of other fans bringing infinite diversity and perspectives in infinite combinations. Julien’s Bid Long & Prosper auction was particularly revealing in terms of Julien’s intense devotion Star Trek fans, especially for Star Trek: The Original Series. I can’t fathom spending close to a million dollars on props for a sixty-year-old television show, no matter how much I personally love it. But the proof of this brand of Star Trek love is there in surprisingly concrete numbers.
Star Trek will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, and the franchise is still going strong with new series like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Starfleet Academyand even a new movie streaming, Star Trek: Section 31, on Paramount+. It remains to be seen whether the new Star Trek will stand the test of time as The original series there is, but the spirit of Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision remains even if the special effects improve and the medium changes. We hope that the artifacts sold at Julien’s Bid Long & Prosper auction will continue to live long and prosper. Sta walk he has.
Special thanks to Christopher Black