Sputnik-1 EMI/EMC Lab Model

On 27th September, 2017, one week before the 60th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik-1 and the beginning of the Space Age, a full-scale, vintage test model of the world's first artificial satellite sold for more than $800,000 and making it become one of the most expensive space travel mementoes.

At Bonhams' New York exhibition, the "beeping" duplicate of the now-iconic satellite, with its polished metal spherical and four protruding antennas, sold for $847,500 (plus the buyer's fee). The winning bid, given over the phone by an unidentified buyer, substantially exceeded the pre-auction estimate and the $269,000 paid for a similar Sputnik copy sold by Bonhams in 2016.

The Soviet Union launched the unmanned Sputnik-1 satellite into orbit for three months in October 1957, igniting the Cold War "Space Race." The craft then re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up like a scorching shot of 100-proof Smirnoff. The Soviets also created full-scale Sputnik-1 replicas for electromagnetic testing, which is good news for collectors. Two of the five known existent models are housed in museums, with the remaining three in private collections.

Price: $847,000