It’s always a lot of fun to read about the collectables that come up in various auctions. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap our minds around the prices these things sell for. For example, we just came off the topic of the Beatles signed Sgt. Pepper album selling for well over $200,000…and now something sells for $231,000 at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles recently. And what was the item? A phaser gun Captain Kirk used from the second pilot of Star Trek in the ‘60s. They estimated it to bring in $50,000.

Now, I can understand movie props selling for a pretty penny, but $231,000? And it’s not like it was signed by the cast.

There was an “alien survey buggy” seen on the ship in Alien (1979). That sold for $10,625. And the sci-fi fans had one more item to go nuts over – a costume worn by Carlos Lauchu (Anubis in Stargate). It went for $16,250. That makes me feel a lot better about that gown I bought from Defending Your Life (one of the best comedies ever made), with Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep.

I understand why dresses Princess Diana wore sold for a lot. She was part of the royal family, and everyone seemed to love her. The velvet, navy colored gown she wore to a dinner hosted by President Reagan, during her first state visit to the U.S. in 1985 with Prince Charles’, fetched $1.2. Remember, that’s the one she danced with John Travolta in (although I’m guessing that white suit Travolta wore in Saturday Night Fever would still get more if it sold again).

A few other dresses sold for half that, with one British bidder saying he purchased it to surprise his wife.

As a movie critic, I’m more intrigued by the movie clothing. Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Oscar for Silver Lining Playbook recently, had outfits from that movie go on the auction block. The wool, full-length winter coat she wore went for $4,652.

Now, if they would’ve sold that fire dress she wore in The Hunger Games…