A postcard signed by the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, has sold for $2,384, more than three times its pre-sale estimate, signifying a "hot market" since the American astronaut died on August 25, at the age of 82 after complications from heart surgery.

The undated postcard of Vero Beach, Florida, addressed "To Steven" and signed by Armstrong, had an estimated value of $700 before the auction. It was one of thousands that the Apollo 11 astronaut signed for fans and collectors for many years after his historic trip to the moon in July 1969.

"Like the Apollo 11 rocket ship, Neil Armstrong autograph prices seem to be blasting through the stratosphere. Signatures have tripled in value and signed photos have doubled in just a matter of days. The demand for his autograph yesterday was unprecedented," said Nate Sanders, owner of Nate D. Sanders Auctions.

Until the mid 1980s, Armstrong photos with autographs sold for around $8 to $12 each. Sanders said three different Apollo 11 glossy photos signed by the whole crew, which included Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, sold for $7,361 each at last Thursday's auction.

Reuters