2013 collecting in review

As usual, I am running behind! But as they say, better late than never.

In 2013 I was able to maintain a relatively tight focus and for the first time I felt like I really avoided the temptation of impulse buys. I was not perfect, but my impulse buys I could count on one hand and they were not big purchases.

So, without any further ado, here are some collecting highlights from 2013.

One of my goals was to build a complete set of the Kniga Vostok postal covers. These covers were officially signed under supervision on January 10, 1964 by cosmonauts from the 6 Vostok missions. For those not familiar with the space program, Vostok was the Soviet Union's "Mercury Program." These postal covers were issued by the Russian agency for foreign trades, Kniga.

For the record, this is the only official signing Yuri Gagarin ever participated in, and some collectors view this as the only 100% certain way to obtain a Gagarin signature that is undoubtedly authentic.

Vostok 1, Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space

Vostok 2, Gherman Titov

Vostok 3, Andrian Nicolayev

Vostok 4, Pavel Popovich

Vostok 5, Valery Bykovsky

Vostok 6, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space

I also added this Bill Anders, Apollo 8, signed photo to my collection. Anders is widely regarded as the least common and toughest signer of all flown astronauts.

This may be among my favorite acquisitions of 2013... a limited edition lithograph signed by the crew of Apollo 8 issued through the San Diego Air and Space Museum.

Apollo 16 Commander John Young on the moon.

It wasn't all space, however. I also expanded my baseball collection.

Billy Martin

Enter Sandman

Mickey Mantle "Gallo" pose

And, I got the itch to work on my Star Wars collection.

I haven't been collecting comics as actively as I have in the past, but occasionally I'll see an uncommon book from my want list and I need to strike while I can. I have been collecting Actions Comics war covers for over 10 years now, and unfortunately the price has gone up faster than I can buy them! So, I am lucky to add one or two a year when they occasionally appear.

Action Comics 63

Action Comics 91

Well, that is just a few highlights, but it slams the lid on things for 2013. Best wishes and happy collecting in 2014!