From an Aston Martin to a golden gun, can cash in on James Bond

To mark the 60th anniversary of the first James Bond film, Dr No, a major auction of 007 memorabilia is taking place next month. So how can you get involved in this exciting market – where soaring values have left investors not shaken but stirred? 

INVEST IN A MOVIE PROP FROM A BOND FILM 

Auction house Christie’s is selling James Bond movie props in two sales – a live sale on September 28 and an online auction between September 15 and October 5. 

The star attraction is an Aston Martin stunt car made for last year’s Bond film No Time to Die – valued at £2million. This DB5 comes complete with ‘Q’ modifications, such as dummy mini-guns behind the headlights. 

Despite the eye-watering estimate, it is a relative bargain compared to the $6.4million (£5.2million) paid for an Aston Martin DB5 complete with bumper machine guns from the 1965 movie Thunderball at Sotheby’s in 2019. 

Those with more modest budgets could consider other Bond props being auctioned. For example, five ‘bionic eyes’ used by evil Spectre agents in No Time To Die are valued at £6,000 each while a set of five bow ties worn by Daniel Craig in each of the films he starred in – starting with Casino Royale (2006) and ending with No Time To Die – will go under the hammer at an estimate of £7,000. 

Adrian Hume-Sayer, sales manager at Christie’s, says: ‘Bond memorabilia provides buyers with an exciting opportunity to get a step closer to this special agent icon.’ 

Buyers should be wary of buying movie props from websites such as eBay where it is hard to get proof of authenticity – and fakes are common. 

Although values are not guaranteed to rise, most have gone up in recent years. For example, the bikini worn by Ursula Andress in 1962 film Dr No was sold by the actress for £41,125 in 2001. Just two years ago, it was valued at £400,000. A gold gun prop as used in the 1974 Roger Moore Bond film The Man With The Golden Gun sold at Christie’s for £5,525 in 2001. It is now valued at £80,000. 

DELVE INTO WRITTEN WORKS OF IAN FLEMING 

James Bond was created by author Ian Fleming who was an undercover agent during the Second World War. A 1953 first edition of the first 007 novel, Casino Royale, is worth £60,000 in top condition with a dust jacket. Without the wraparound it can sell for £10,000. 

A copy of Casino Royale signed by Fleming sold for £55,000 three years ago at Scottish auction house Lyon & Turnbull. Inside was an inscription by Fleming to his friend Alastair: ‘Read and burn’. 

At the same auction a first edition of the 1954 Bond book Live And Let Die sold for £30,000. 

Rare book seller John Atkinson, from Harrogate in West Yorkshire, says: ‘When the first Bond book came out, Britain was emerging from austerity following the Second World War. Into this grey world arrived the colour and escapism of Bond. People fell in love with his sense of adventure and generations later we are still entranced.’ 

Atkinson owns a first edition 1959 edition of Goldfinger inscribed by Fleming to British golfer Henry Cotton, valued at £50,000. Bond had a golf handicap of nine in Goldfinger – the same handicap as Fleming. The author and Cotton were both members of Royal St George’s Golf Club at Sandwich in Kent. A non-signed first edition of Goldfinger is valued at around £1,000. 

Investment quality Bond books can be found on a more modest budget. First edition Pan paperbacks such as 1964 The Spy Who Loved Me, can be purchased for £50. Atkinson says: ‘Unlike stocks and shares, you have something tangible to hold in your hand and enjoy when you buy a Bond book.’

FIND TIME FOR A SECRET AGENT WATCH 

Timepieces worn by iconic fictional characters such as Bond can turn into investment-quality status symbols, such as the Rolex Submariner worn by Sean Connery in Dr No. It suddenly became a watch that investors wanted to buy. 

The 1958 ‘big crown’ Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner worn by Connery in the film sold for £52,000 a decade ago. It might be expected to sell for double this price today. Other smaller-faced Submariners from the same era can fetch £10,000 or more. 

Christie’s sale next month will feature one of the Omega Seamaster watches worn by Craig in No Time To Die. It has an estimate of £20,000. A Seamaster watch worn by Craig for the earlier Spectre sold for £92,500 six years ago. 

Adrian Roose, founder of online shop The Memorabilia Club, says: ‘There is still value out there. If looking for a bargain consider under-rated Bonds, such as Timothy Dalton, or another type of timepiece from a Bond film.’ 

A clock used by ‘M’ – played by Judi Dench – in 1999 film The World Is Not Enough is included in next month’s Christie’s sale at £5,000. One of the most expensive Bond watches is a 1972 Rolex Oyster used by Roger Moore with a magnet that was used to unzip dresses in Live And Let Die. This sold for £147,000 in 2011.

ENJOY THE APPEAL OF POSTERS AND GAMES 

James Bond movie posters are rising in value. Lyon & Turnbull is holding a memorabilia sale on October 19 featuring original posters. 

Among the posters being sold are a ‘gold lady’ promotion for 1964 film Goldfinger and a 1965 Thunderball illustration of Bond surrounded by bikini-clad women. Both are valued at £8,000. 

Among board games that attract interest is 007 Underwater Battle from 1965 that can sell for £2,000. The price is so high as there were many fiddly bits – such as frogmen – that got lost over time. Without all the original parts it can sell for £50. 

A 1967 Scalextric James Bond game that comes with a white Aston Martin DB5 and black Mercedes originally cost £11, but now changes hands for up to £3,500. 

Those who hanker after this iconic Bond car but cannot afford the multi-million pound price tag of the real thing should consider a 1965 Corgi toy copy. Originally costing 50p, it now sells for up to £800 if the spring-loaded ejector seat is still working. 

Roose says: ‘In this uncertain world it is comforting that James Bond memorabilia continues to attract interest from investors looking to make decent profits. Interest in James Bond will never die.’