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The following is the first in a new series of articles profiling notable, desirable, valuable, and/or unique space artifacts and memorabilia.
Profiles In Memorabilia
There are few collectibles from the Apollo era with such absolute provenance and desirability as the Apollo 15 "Sieger" Covers. These infamous cachets exist both as a reminder of mankind's greatest achievement and conversely, our susceptibility to opportunism and greed.
The Apollo 15 "Sieger" Covers
by Howard C. Weinberger
History
Realizing there might be a market for space flown philatelic items, German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger set his sights in 1970 on recruiting an Apollo crew to carry a small quantity of covers to the Moon. In pursuit of his idea, Sieger approached Walter Eierman, who had previously reached several memorabilia deals with the astronauts.
Eierman, working on Sieger's behalf, was able to interest the crew of Apollo 15.
In exchange for $7,000 each (deposited into individual Swiss bank accounts) and on the condition the covers were not to be sold until after the Apollo program, David Scott, James Irwin and Alfred Worden agreed to carry Sieger's 100 cachets to the lunar surface.
The crew also chose to stow 300 similar covers for themselves.
Due to weight constraints, all items carried aboard the Apollo spacecraft were required to be manifested. Although the Apollo 15 crew was later to claim an innocent oversight, the covers, tucked safely away in Scott's spacesuit pocket, were never recorded.
This might not have been a problem had it not been for Sieger, whom soon after receiving his 100 covers, began selling them in Europe for a reported average of $1,500.00 (US) each.
When the news of the sale reached the United States, the crew attempted to retrieve the covers from Sieger but were unsuccessful. In an effort to save their careers, the astronauts returned the $7000 they had each received, but pressure from a Congressional investigation left NASA little choice but to suspend each from active flight status.
The space agency also confiscated the 298 covers (two from the crew's original 300 were reportedly destroyed pre-flight) they still had in their possession.
To prevent similar incidents from occurring again, NASA drafted rules as to what astronauts would be allowed to take with them into space. Future flyers would be bound not to publicize the contents of their "Personal Preference Kit" (PPKs) until they retired from the corps. The astronauts were also required to sign an agreement restricting transfer of their flown memorabilia to gifts and donations -- sale of memorabilia was strictly prohibited.
In retrospect, the Flight Office would have probably allowed the Apollo 15 covers to be carried without incident had a formal request been filed. However, because procedure was not followed, when the covers surfaced, a scandal ensued. This incident would ultimately influence how many astronauts would respond to requests to autograph philatelic material.
The Apollo 15 covers may have never been seen or heard of again, and indeed were not until 11 years later.
In 1983, the US Postal Service anounced plans to fly 260,000 covers aboard the Space Shuttle. Worden, seeing the similarities between his confiscated covers and those set to fly aboard STS-8, sued the United States Federal Government for the return of his crew's 298 cachets. In an out-of-court settlement, the covers were returned to the crew.
Upon their receipt, the entire crew drafted, signed and had notarized a letter of provenance for each cover.
Identification
There are distinct differences between Sieger's 100 covers and the 298 returned to the crew.
The Sieger covers are noted in handwriting as having been "Landed at Hadley, Moon, July 30, 1971" on the front upper left corner. On their reverse appears a typed, notarized inscription:
This is to certify that this cover was onboard the Falcon at the Hadley-Apennine, Moon, July 30-August 2, 1971
In comparison, the crew's remaining 298 covers are stamped in the front upper left corner:
This envelope was carried to the Moon aboard the Apollo 15 #____ of 300 to the Lunar Surface in L. M. "Falcon"
The cachets are also autographed by the crew on the front lower left corner. Inserted into each cover is a card which reads:
This cover is #____ of 300 postmarked just prior to the launch of Apollo 15 on July 26, 1971 at Kennedy Space Center; stowed aboard the spacecraft in a sealed fireproof packet; carried to the lunar surface in LM "FALCON"; returned to earth in CM "ENDEAVOUR"; and postmarked immediately after splashdown on August 7, 1971 by the U. S. Navy Postal Station aboard the recovery ship USS OKINAWA.
Some of these cards can be found signed by a crew member.
Additionally, on the reverse of each cover, a small handwritten serial number can be found. These were assigned by NASA at the time of their confiscation.
Availability
Although not in abundance, the covers do become available to collectors periodically. One such offering was included in the most recent (October 2000) Superior Galleries space memorabilia auction. The crew cover (as opposed to Sieger) realized a net $14,950 including a 15% buyer's premium.
For some time previous to this auction, the covers traded for an average $7,500 but as interest has increased, so it seems the prices have too.
Resources
The following publications were referenced while writing this profile. If you would like to learn more about the Apollo 15 flight and "Sieger" covers, additional information can be found in:
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