See Space-flown Armstrong Items at the FUN Show
Posted on 1/8/2019
Collectibles Authentication Guaranty™ (CAG™) will present selections from the Armstrong Family Collection™ at the FUN Show, which is being held Jan. 10-13 in Orlando, Florida.
CAG is an independent affiliate of Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), which is well-known and respected within the numismatic community for its expert coin certification services.
The incredible Armstrong Family Collection™ includes thousands of historic artifacts saved by astronaut Neil Armstrong and his immediate family. CAG will showcase a dozen significant artifacts from this collection, including seven that were on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, in which Armstrong famously made the "giant leap for mankind." See these artifacts on display at NGC Booth #104 on Friday, Jan. 11 and Saturday, Jan. 12.
The artifacts include:
Flown on Apollo 11
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| Apollo 11-Flown Gold Robbins Medal, graded NGC MS 67 and certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection™. Click images to enlarge. | |
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| Apollo 11-Flown Robbins Medal, graded NGC MS 66 and certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection™. Click images to enlarge. | |
A Gold Robbins Medal (graded NGC MS 67) and a Silver Robbins Medal (graded NGC MS 66) flown on the Apollo 11 mission. Robbins Medals were struck for the Apollo astronauts to carry on their missions; only one was struck in gold for each of the Apollo 11 astronauts, while many others were struck in silver.
Four CAG-certified Apollo 11 Silver Robbins Medals were offered in the first auction of Armstrong Family Collection items in November 2018. They realized prices of $68,750, $71,875, $81,250 and $112,500.
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| Apollo 11-Flown Wright Flyer Propeller and Wing Pieces, certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection™. Click images to enlarge. | |
A wing piece and a propeller piece from the Wright Flyer, the plane that made the first powered flight in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Under a special arrangement, Armstrong was allowed to retain pieces of the Wright Flyer.
Two CAG-certified Wright Flyer propeller pieces were offered in the first auction of Armstrong Family Collection items in November 2018. They realized prices of $275,000 each. Four CAG-certified Wright Flyer wing pieces were offered in the same auction. They realized prices of $112,500, $150,000, $162,500 and $175,000.
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| Apollo 11-Flown American Flag, from the Armstrong Family Collection™ and certified by CAG. Click image to enlarge. |
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An American flag, one of a number of flags that Armstrong took with him on the mission. Most of these were postcard-sized.
A CAG-certified Apollo 11-flown flag measuring 17.75 inches by 11.5 inches realized $275,000 in the first auction of Armstrong Family Collection items in November 2018. Meanwhile, a flag measuring 4.25 inches by 5.75 inches realized $106,250 in the same sale.
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| Apollo 11-Flown Beta cloth, certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection. Click image to enlarge. |
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A piece of Beta cloth, a fireproof material, with the Apollo 11 insignia.
Two pieces of Apollo 11-flown Beta cloth, each measuring 6 by 6 inches, were offered in the November auction of Armstrong Family Collection items. They realized $68,750 each.
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| Apollo 11 Flown Quarantine Cover (Type Three), certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection™ Click image to enlarge. |
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A Type Three "Quarantine Cover" from Apollo 11. These postal collectibles were signed by Armstrong and his Apollo 11 crewmates, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. After the mission, the astronauts and items they took with them were quarantined. A particularly interesting feature is its postmark: "Delayed in Quarantine."
Similar CAG-certified "Insurance Covers" were sold in the first auction. These were also signed by the crew, but instead of being flown on Apollo 11, they were left for the astronauts' families as a sort of insurance policy, in case they did not make it back. The four Type Three Insurance Covers (featuring the Apollo 11 insignia) realized between $15,000 and $21,250 each. The ones flown in space are much rarer.
Other Items
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| Gemini 8-Flown Gilt/Sterling Fliteline Medal, graded NGC MS 64 and certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection™. Click images to enlarge. | |
A Gilt/Sterling Fliteline Medal flown on Gemini 8, graded NGC MS 64. The mission in 1966 was Armstong's only other trip into to space. The Fliteline Medals were the predecessors to the Robbins Medals.
Three silver examples of the Gemini 8 Fliteline Medal were offered in the first auction, selling for between $11,250 and $12,500.
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| NASA Photograph of Neil Armstrong, from the Armstrong Family Collection™ and certified by CAG. Click image to enlarge. |
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A NASA photograph showing Neil Armstrong. In it, Armstrong poses in his spacesuit, holding his helmet, with a lunar background. This particular photo was signed by Neil Armstrong and inscribed Apollo 11.
A similar photograph, unsigned, sold in the first auction for $2,875. A photo of Buzz Aldrin in his spacesuit on the moon, signed by Armstrong and inscribed to Ambassador George H.W. Bush, sold for $10,000.
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| Apollo 11 Crew Patch, certified by CAG. Click image to enlarge. |
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An Apollo 11 Crew Patch. Several of these CAG-certified patches from the Armstrong Family Collection were sold in the first auction, ranging from $3,000 to $7,500.
A Kennedy Half Dollar and an Eisenhower Dollar, certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection.
A lot consisting of a 1964 and 1964-D Kennedy Half Dollar, both graded NGC MS 64, sold for $1,000 in the first auction. Meanwhile, a 1972 Type 3 Eisenhower Dollar, graded NGC MS 62, sold in the first auction for $575. These prices reflect a significant premium due to the famous provenance.
Numismatists can compare the insignia on the Gold Robbins Medals with the Apollo 11 Crew Patch and Eisenhower Dollar reverse. On the Robbins Medals, the eagle's talons are open, reflecting Apollo 11 astronaut Collins' original concept, which was eventually deemed to be too aggressive. The crew patch shows the official Apollo 11 insignia, with eagle's talons grasping an olive branch. This design was ultimately adopted for reverse of the Eisenhower dollar in 1971, and was continued with the Susan B. Anthony Dollar in 1979.
CAG works directly with collectors, estates, artists and museums to preserve the authenticity and provenance of artifacts, memorabilia and estate items at the source. The Armstrong Family Collection™, the first collection to be certified by CAG, represents one of the most historic and important collections of memorabilia of the last 50 years. Additional auctions of items from the CAG-certified Armstrong Family Collection will be held this year by Heritage Auctions.
Learn more about CAG at CAGcertified.com.
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