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T O P I C R E V I E WstsmithvaI'll be selling several dozen autographs and other space exploration items in the next month, and I decided to start things off with a bang. I'm offering for sale the autographs of the crew members of every flown Apollo mission. Most of them have signed on a single item, such as the Aldrin "visor shot" photo signed by all three Apollo 11 crew members (and which comes with a Steve Zarelli Letter of Authenticity). In fact there will be two photos signed by all three crew members of Apollo 15 and Apollo 16.With a few of the crews, the astronauts signed on two or even three separate items that go very well together.I've offered a few of these for sale before. Here they are presented with new lower prices. Domestic Priority Mail is included for all items. International shipping, and insurance if desired, will be extra.Please e-mail me with any questions, or if you would like a high-resolution scan or photo of an item sent.Apollo 7 Crew Wally Schirra: signed "SpaceShots" card of the Apollo 7 launch.Walt Cunningham: signed photo of him on board Apollo 7.Don Eisele: signed index card. Perfect condition on front; some peeling on corners of the back from previous mounting. A single photo signed by all three usually goes for about $1,000 at auction, and even a set of three individual inscribed photos recently sold for $507. These three autographs are $195.stsmithvaSOLD Apollo 8 CrewHere are two First Day of Issue covers for the "In the Beginning" Earthrise stamp, both with Apollo 8 cachets. One is signed by Commander Frank Borman and Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell. The other is signed by Lunar Module Pilot Bill Anders (as "Anders") and by the entire crew of "Old 66", the SH-3D recovery helicopter from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Four that picked the crew up from the spacecraft after splashdown. They were pilot (and commanding officer) CDR Don Jones, LCDR Carl Frank, AWC Novel L. Wood and AW2 James B. Dorsey. Here is a USS Yorktown history web page listing that crew. Jones was also the pilot when "Old 66" picked up the crew of Apollo 11, with Chief Wood also repeating his role. These two covers are great on their own, but they would make a wonderful display framed with perhaps photos of the launch and Earthrise, and then also a photo of the recovery. This one, for example, shows the Apollo 8 crew beaming as they step out of the helicopter, inside of which one of its crewmembers is clearly visible. This one doesn't show a crewmember, but it is in color.I've never seen anything else signed by the full SH-3D crew. A cover signed only by Anders (who took the photo shown on the Earthrise stamp) sold just a few months ago for $435. A cover signed by all three Apollo 8 crew members sold at auction a year ago for $2,031; but they were all on one cover and it was from another astronaut's collection. A unique and attractive set of Apollo 8 autographs that tells a larger part of the mission's story than "just" the astronauts' signatures. SOLD $460stsmithvaApollo 9 CrewSOLD 8x10 NASA lithograph showing several scenes from this fascinating mission, with McDivitt signing on the CSM he was in, and Scott and Schweickart signing on pictures of them performing EVAs. Note that each signed with "Apollo 9" and then the abbreviation of their mission rank. On the verso there are four paragraphs explaining the images. Recently Apollo 9 crew-signed photos have sold for $630, $471, and even just signed on the mat for $358. This one is SOLD $295.stsmithvaSOLD Apollo 10 (X) Crew Thomas Stafford: 1970 TLS as "Chief, Astronaut Office", sending an autographed photo of the Apollo X crew (not present). He also says that for someone outside the USA to write "brings home the point that our exploration of space is for all mankind...") Small stain touching signature.John Young: Signed photo. Now, I'll admit that this is a shuttle era, orange space suit litho, and therefore not completely appropriate for an Apollo X crew collection. However, it is NOT personalized, which is very rare. He just wrote "Best wishes." Some condition issues: slight bends in several places, and provenance notes (signed in 1981) written on the back.Gene Cernan: signed Apollo X crew litho, inscribed to the same person who received the letter from Stafford. The Stafford and Cernan items both have slight "tackiness" on the corners of the verso from previous mounting - a little adhesive remains, about as strong as a Post-It Note. This does not affect the front at all.A photo signed by all three crew members can sell for over $1,000. This collection, two items of which are vintage Apollo X items, is SOLD $350.stsmithvaSOLD Apollo 11 CrewA vintage NASA glossy on "A KODAK PAPER" (with a description printed in purple on the verso) of the famous "visor shot": Aldrin on the lunar surface, with Armstrong and the LM's golden leg reflected in the visor. Signed by Armstrong in red, and Aldrin and Collins in black. There is paper stuck around a couple inches of the margins from a previous mounting, and above the signatures is an inch wide area where some of the photo image peeled off, showing the white paper underneath. Still, it would matte like this: This photo comes with a Letter of Authenticity from Steve Zarelli, including an image of the photo and a close-up of the signatures. This same photo, personalized to someone, sold recently at auction for $4,467. Several nonpersonalized crew-signed photos have sold for over $10,000, such as this one for $13,045. The condition issues on the margins (which, again, could be matted out) make the price for this one SOLD $3,250.stsmithvaSOLD Apollo 12 Crew Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon signed on an Apollo 12 postal cover with no cancellation.Alan Bean signed on an 8x10 glossy photo of him descending the lunar module's ladder. Unfortunately poor contrast. Just SOLD $95! stsmithvaSOLD Apollo 13 CrewSigned Apollo 13 launch cover. This cover was addressed and actually mailed. Usually this is a liability, but interestingly this cover was sent to Thomas N. Downing, a Member of Congress from Virginia who joined the Committee on Science and Astronautics in 1961. His name appears on such documents as NASA's 1963 report to Congress about the first American manned orbital flights, and the 1967 investigation of the Apollo 1 fire.In fact, as the crew of Apollo 13 passed around the moon on its perilous voyage home, the name "Thomas N. Downing" lay on the lunar surface below them. His was one of dozens of names etched onto the silicon disk of Goodwill Messages left on the surface of the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts. (You can search for "Downing" on this list of signers.)The cover was signed years ago by Lovell and Swigert, and Haise signed it at the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation event a few months ago. A similar launch cover signed by the crew sold at auction recently for $776, but with Lovell and Haise autopens also on it, which detracts.This cover is SOLD $550.stsmithvaApollo 14 CrewSigned launch cover — well, actually it appears to be that from the front, but if one looks at the verso one will see that it is an envelope-sized postcard. (You might notice that Shepard signed as "Al", which he did occasionally — on this note, for example.) An Apollo 14 launch cover sold at auction last year for $896.However, that one was a full envelope, and not addressed. Hence the price on this one: $450stsmithvaApollo 15 CrewSOLD Signed red-serial-number Kodak glossy, with a great story behind it. It was originally owned by (and inscribed to) Danny Lawler. Lawler was a nationally known golf professional who became "Pro to the Astronauts" in 1969 when he was asked by Jim Lovell to give lessons to many of the astronauts. This 1971 newspaper photo (which will be included) shows him giving Jim Irwin a lesson just days after splashdown! The buyer will also receive a photocopy of a 1990 obituary, which mentions that Lawler became acquainted with many baseball players as a golf instructor, and as a hitting instructor for the New York Yankees suggested in 1949 that some players wear golf gloves while at bat. He introduced batting gloves to the game! And finally, the buyer will receive a holiday card Mr. Lawler sent out during the Apollo program, with the autographs of dozens of astronauts reproduced under an interesting picture of lunar golfing. A similar Apollo 15 crew-signed photo recently sold for $693. There are condition issues: three tack holes, some small creases, and some spots over to the right side. Still, it's great that this one is a vintage red-serial-number, official NASA Kodak glossy. SOLD $325stsmithvaOr you could buy this 22"x14" print of a great Apollo 15 photo, inscribed and signed by the crew, for $475. Photos this large signed by the Apollo 15 crew are very rare. (This one is printed in sepia tones.)stsmithvaApollo 16 CrewSigned large (20x24) photo mat. (I'm sorry that I'm only noticing now that my camera flash obscured the CM as it approaches splashdown.) It's a little brighter/lighter than this photo would indicate.The original photo of the Apollo 16 splashdown on the matte has an inch-long scratch that the original owner tried to cover it with marker, and a couple of smaller ones. It's also a little faded. I took the liberty of getting a new 16x20 print of an even better photo of the Apollo 16 splashdown, on archival photo paper. As you can see, the new photo (which I've just placed on top; it would be up to the buyer to attach it or not) perfectly covers the old, damaged one and the inscription, making a wonderful display piece for your home. Recent sale prices of Apollo 16 signed photos include $1231 and $1056. One red-serial-number Kodak glossy even sold for $2911. However, a more direct price comparison is the $717 for the crew's signatures on a mat, just like this one, only smaller.There is a bend at the top left corner of the mat, and a couple of marks at the top middle. $395Or you could buy this NASA crew litho (inscribed by Mattingly, judging by the pen)......for $575.stsmithvaApollo 17 CrewSOLD A wonderful, large (21"x12") print on Kodak paper of the incredible photo of Harrison Schmitt standing next to a boulder the size of a house, with the lunar rover on the other side. Signed boldly by all three crew members and in excellent condition.While I'll mention that a photo signed by the Apollo 17 crew can sell for $840, I'll admit that it's possible to buy one (probably an inscribed crew portrait) for much less. This is simply one of the best signed photos of any Apollo crew I've ever seen; hence the price of $825. SOLDJasonBJust sent you an email.stsmithvaA couple of collectSPACE members have kindly written out of concern that I am selling so many items. As one of them put it, "Medical bills or bail?" I actually deliberately left off an explanation, since I know in the past I've mentioned child care expenses and a new minivan as reasons for selling items, and I figured people didn't want to know the story behind the sales every time. But I'll say that it's for a positive reason: my wife and I hope to move this summer to a house closer to the school where we both teacher, and in which our four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter will have their own rooms. Time to fix up our nice little townhouse to put it on the market, and build up a down payment for the new place. Anyone want to live just a few minutes south of Udvar-Hazy? BlackarrowRegarding the Apollo 15 (spacesuited) crew photo, I have what appears to be an identical picture. It's an original colour Kodak print with purple printing on the back and red serial number on the front (top left). The photo is apparently signed in black Sharpie by all three astronauts. I say it looks identical to the featured photo, but ever since I got it from NASA in the early 1970s I have always assumed it was a top-quality triple-autopen and on close comparison with sample autopen signatures of all three astronauts in "Relics of the Space Age" I have to admit all three signatures match the autopens.That brings me back to the featured picture: I see subtle differences between my three signatures and the three on the picture for sale but I wonder how many of these Apollo 15 crew autopen sets were distributed, and how certain is the seller that this is not one of them, but the real deal?stsmithvaThe fact that none of the signatures on my photo come close to matching the autopen patterns makes the seller quite certain that it is the real deal. I could list out ten specific differences (much shorter line at the end of my Scott, completely different J and I in Jim Irwin, etc.) but I really think the differences are self-evident. I can send a high-resolution photo to any interested buyer for them to compare with astroautopens.com.stsmithvaI have lowered the prices on the items signed by the crews of Apollo 13, 14, 15, and 16 by $50 each. The uninscribed "visor shot" vintage NASA glossy signed by Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins (with the Steve Zarelli LOA) is now $500 less expensive.stsmithvaI've made the last reductions in price (of $50 to $150) on the items that are still available.
Most of them have signed on a single item, such as the Aldrin "visor shot" photo signed by all three Apollo 11 crew members (and which comes with a Steve Zarelli Letter of Authenticity). In fact there will be two photos signed by all three crew members of Apollo 15 and Apollo 16.
With a few of the crews, the astronauts signed on two or even three separate items that go very well together.
I've offered a few of these for sale before. Here they are presented with new lower prices. Domestic Priority Mail is included for all items. International shipping, and insurance if desired, will be extra.
Please e-mail me with any questions, or if you would like a high-resolution scan or photo of an item sent.
Apollo 7 Crew
A single photo signed by all three usually goes for about $1,000 at auction, and even a set of three individual inscribed photos recently sold for $507. These three autographs are $195.
Here are two First Day of Issue covers for the "In the Beginning" Earthrise stamp, both with Apollo 8 cachets. One is signed by Commander Frank Borman and Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell. The other is signed by Lunar Module Pilot Bill Anders (as "Anders") and by the entire crew of "Old 66", the SH-3D recovery helicopter from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Four that picked the crew up from the spacecraft after splashdown.
They were pilot (and commanding officer) CDR Don Jones, LCDR Carl Frank, AWC Novel L. Wood and AW2 James B. Dorsey. Here is a USS Yorktown history web page listing that crew. Jones was also the pilot when "Old 66" picked up the crew of Apollo 11, with Chief Wood also repeating his role.
These two covers are great on their own, but they would make a wonderful display framed with perhaps photos of the launch and Earthrise, and then also a photo of the recovery. This one, for example, shows the Apollo 8 crew beaming as they step out of the helicopter, inside of which one of its crewmembers is clearly visible. This one doesn't show a crewmember, but it is in color.
I've never seen anything else signed by the full SH-3D crew. A cover signed only by Anders (who took the photo shown on the Earthrise stamp) sold just a few months ago for $435. A cover signed by all three Apollo 8 crew members sold at auction a year ago for $2,031; but they were all on one cover and it was from another astronaut's collection.
A unique and attractive set of Apollo 8 autographs that tells a larger part of the mission's story than "just" the astronauts' signatures. SOLD $460
SOLD 8x10 NASA lithograph showing several scenes from this fascinating mission, with McDivitt signing on the CSM he was in, and Scott and Schweickart signing on pictures of them performing EVAs. Note that each signed with "Apollo 9" and then the abbreviation of their mission rank. On the verso there are four paragraphs explaining the images.
Recently Apollo 9 crew-signed photos have sold for $630, $471, and even just signed on the mat for $358.
This one is SOLD $295.
The Stafford and Cernan items both have slight "tackiness" on the corners of the verso from previous mounting - a little adhesive remains, about as strong as a Post-It Note. This does not affect the front at all.
A photo signed by all three crew members can sell for over $1,000. This collection, two items of which are vintage Apollo X items, is SOLD $350.
A vintage NASA glossy on "A KODAK PAPER" (with a description printed in purple on the verso) of the famous "visor shot": Aldrin on the lunar surface, with Armstrong and the LM's golden leg reflected in the visor. Signed by Armstrong in red, and Aldrin and Collins in black.
There is paper stuck around a couple inches of the margins from a previous mounting, and above the signatures is an inch wide area where some of the photo image peeled off, showing the white paper underneath. Still, it would matte like this:
This photo comes with a Letter of Authenticity from Steve Zarelli, including an image of the photo and a close-up of the signatures.
This same photo, personalized to someone, sold recently at auction for $4,467. Several nonpersonalized crew-signed photos have sold for over $10,000, such as this one for $13,045. The condition issues on the margins (which, again, could be matted out) make the price for this one SOLD $3,250.
Just SOLD $95!
Signed Apollo 13 launch cover. This cover was addressed and actually mailed. Usually this is a liability, but interestingly this cover was sent to Thomas N. Downing, a Member of Congress from Virginia who joined the Committee on Science and Astronautics in 1961. His name appears on such documents as NASA's 1963 report to Congress about the first American manned orbital flights, and the 1967 investigation of the Apollo 1 fire.
In fact, as the crew of Apollo 13 passed around the moon on its perilous voyage home, the name "Thomas N. Downing" lay on the lunar surface below them. His was one of dozens of names etched onto the silicon disk of Goodwill Messages left on the surface of the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts. (You can search for "Downing" on this list of signers.)
The cover was signed years ago by Lovell and Swigert, and Haise signed it at the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation event a few months ago.
A similar launch cover signed by the crew sold at auction recently for $776, but with Lovell and Haise autopens also on it, which detracts.
This cover is SOLD $550.
Signed launch cover — well, actually it appears to be that from the front, but if one looks at the verso one will see that it is an envelope-sized postcard.
(You might notice that Shepard signed as "Al", which he did occasionally — on this note, for example.)
An Apollo 14 launch cover sold at auction last year for $896.
However, that one was a full envelope, and not addressed. Hence the price on this one: $450
SOLD Signed red-serial-number Kodak glossy, with a great story behind it. It was originally owned by (and inscribed to) Danny Lawler. Lawler was a nationally known golf professional who became "Pro to the Astronauts" in 1969 when he was asked by Jim Lovell to give lessons to many of the astronauts.
This 1971 newspaper photo (which will be included) shows him giving Jim Irwin a lesson just days after splashdown!
The buyer will also receive a photocopy of a 1990 obituary, which mentions that Lawler became acquainted with many baseball players as a golf instructor, and as a hitting instructor for the New York Yankees suggested in 1949 that some players wear golf gloves while at bat. He introduced batting gloves to the game!
And finally, the buyer will receive a holiday card Mr. Lawler sent out during the Apollo program, with the autographs of dozens of astronauts reproduced under an interesting picture of lunar golfing.
A similar Apollo 15 crew-signed photo recently sold for $693. There are condition issues: three tack holes, some small creases, and some spots over to the right side. Still, it's great that this one is a vintage red-serial-number, official NASA Kodak glossy. SOLD $325
Signed large (20x24) photo mat. (I'm sorry that I'm only noticing now that my camera flash obscured the CM as it approaches splashdown.) It's a little brighter/lighter than this photo would indicate.
The original photo of the Apollo 16 splashdown on the matte has an inch-long scratch that the original owner tried to cover it with marker, and a couple of smaller ones. It's also a little faded.
I took the liberty of getting a new 16x20 print of an even better photo of the Apollo 16 splashdown, on archival photo paper. As you can see, the new photo (which I've just placed on top; it would be up to the buyer to attach it or not) perfectly covers the old, damaged one and the inscription, making a wonderful display piece for your home.
Recent sale prices of Apollo 16 signed photos include $1231 and $1056. One red-serial-number Kodak glossy even sold for $2911. However, a more direct price comparison is the $717 for the crew's signatures on a mat, just like this one, only smaller.
There is a bend at the top left corner of the mat, and a couple of marks at the top middle. $395
Or you could buy this NASA crew litho (inscribed by Mattingly, judging by the pen)...
...for $575.
SOLD A wonderful, large (21"x12") print on Kodak paper of the incredible photo of Harrison Schmitt standing next to a boulder the size of a house, with the lunar rover on the other side. Signed boldly by all three crew members and in excellent condition.
While I'll mention that a photo signed by the Apollo 17 crew can sell for $840, I'll admit that it's possible to buy one (probably an inscribed crew portrait) for much less. This is simply one of the best signed photos of any Apollo crew I've ever seen; hence the price of $825. SOLD
I actually deliberately left off an explanation, since I know in the past I've mentioned child care expenses and a new minivan as reasons for selling items, and I figured people didn't want to know the story behind the sales every time. But I'll say that it's for a positive reason: my wife and I hope to move this summer to a house closer to the school where we both teacher, and in which our four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter will have their own rooms. Time to fix up our nice little townhouse to put it on the market, and build up a down payment for the new place.
Anyone want to live just a few minutes south of Udvar-Hazy?
That brings me back to the featured picture: I see subtle differences between my three signatures and the three on the picture for sale but I wonder how many of these Apollo 15 crew autopen sets were distributed, and how certain is the seller that this is not one of them, but the real deal?
I could list out ten specific differences (much shorter line at the end of my Scott, completely different J and I in Jim Irwin, etc.) but I really think the differences are self-evident. I can send a high-resolution photo to any interested buyer for them to compare with astroautopens.com.
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