Original Spock ear tips go up for auction, tu you into a Vulcan - CNET

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Dr. McCoy wasn't shy about calling Mr. Spock out based on the look of his Vulcan ears. In the original-series episode "Bread and Circuses," he calls his friend a "pointed-eared hobgoblin." Those famous ears helped Leonard Nimoy's iconic character stand apart from the human crowd. Soon, a set of pointy ear tips made for the original '60s series could belong to you.

The tips are crafted from foam latex made to fit Nimoy's ears. They are listed as being in vintage, very good condition. Auction company Profiles in History notes that "this pair lacks makeup and deterioration at blending edges precluding them from ever being applied to Nimoy's ears." That means they weren't used on screen, but they are still a fascinating and rare piece of sci-fi prop history.

The ear pieces are part of a large Star Trek auction filled with items ranging from original-series uniforms to a Romulan ale bottle from "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Among the more unusual items are a fuzzy tribble, a Vulcan Lirpa weapon from the classic episode "Amok Time" and Nimoy's personal chair (with "Mr. Spock" embroidered on the back) from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."

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The Profiles in History Hollywood Auction 83 accepts online bids and runs from June 29 through July 1. The ear tips are scheduled to sell on July 1 with an estimated price range of $2,000 to $3,000 (about £2,250, AU$4,060).

If the ears aren't enough for you, you might want to also check out a blue velour sciences-division tunic wo by Nimoy. The starting bid for the costume top is $60,000 (about £45,000, AU$81,200). It comes with three different letters of authentication. "Never before have we encountered such a prized wardrobe piece from the original series with such exceptional documentation," says Profiles in History.

This isn't the first time substantial pieces of Star Trek history have gone up for auction. A rare original-series phaser sold in 2015 along with a Wesley Crusher sweater and set of tribbles from "Deep Space Nine." A refurbished captain's chair that once toured fan conventions sold on eBay in 2014. This year marks the franchise's 50th anniversary, which is helping to push Star Trek fan fervor back into the spotlight.