An old camera that has the distinction of being the only one that has went to the moon – and returned, has been auctioned for a princely sum of over $910,000, reports The Associated Press .
The Camera in question is a Hasselblad 500 series model, which, if you happen to be a film camera enthusiast, you will recognize as one of the most popular professional film camera series of the 60’s. While initial reports talked about the camera being auctioned for $758,489, the company which auctioned the camera has clarified that the final price is indeed more than $910,000.
According to WestLicht Auction , the company authorized to auction this rare specimen, the bid price of the camera started at 80,000 Euros and went up fast. The winning bid of an astronomical 660,000 Euros was placed by Japanese businessman Terukazu Fujisawa, who also happens to be the founder of Japan’s Yodobashi Camera retail chain, obviously a classic camera enthusiast himself.
While the camera that was auctioned wasn’t either the first camera to go to the moon, or into space for that matter, it is the only one that has actually went to the moon and then made a return trip to Earth. This particular model was a part of the Apollo 15 Mission of 1971 which in turn was the ninth trip of the Apollo series and the fourth one to land on the moon. In case you are wondering as to why NASA chose to leave these expensive cameras there, a post on the Hasselblad website clarifies that these gadgets were too bulky to be carried back again.
Space on the return trip was reserved for rock and dust samples from the lunar surface. On all the Apollo lunar landing missions, only the film magazines made it back to Earth, not the camera. However, that for some reason did not happen with the Apollo 15, making this particular camera the only one from the Apollo missions to make it back to Earth. This particular camera was famously used by Commander James Irwin, the Lunar Module Pilot for the mission.
What is the highest price you have ever paid for a camera?
[Images Via Westlicht Auction]
