Best of 2001: Best Star Trekking

Finn's Cosmic Collectibles
3089 Clairemont Drive, Suite 202, San Diego
eBay seller ID: buymenow

When it comes to TV and film memorabilia, Star Trek rules the universe. Ed Finn buys and sells such pop culture collectibles. A longtime fixture at comic-book conventions, toy shows and swap meets, his Morena Park home is filled with vintage puppets, dolls, toys, animation art, battery-powered robots, and model spaceships. Online auctions through websites like eBay have boosted Finn's profile among Star Trek devotees who battle each other with their bids in hopes of scoring that original cast photo (average value $10 -- $200-plus if autographed), a pet Tribble ($15 for facsimiles, $1000 or more for certified show props), or anything else Trek -connected. However, a Starfleet emblem alone doesn't guarantee warp-speed sales, even if those rubber Vulcan ears come with Spock's Seal of Approval. "The most valuable stuff dates back to the '60s, from the original show," Finn says, "but prices have dropped a lot in the last couple of years. The Captain Kirk dolls manufactured by Mego used to sell for around $100, but now that everyone is going through their attic and selling online, the stuff that used to be rare is turning up everywhere. And you can't give away most of the crap from Next Generation and the other spin-offs."