posted 07-13-2003 10:27 AM               

1) The first autographed cover I ever received through the mail-- a Project Mercury FDC signed by "J.H. Glenn Jr." in about l965.

2) A July 20, 1969 Apollo 11 moonlanding cover which I left at the Cape Canaveral post office when I was there for the launch. Neil Armstrong autographed it through the mail in l970-- it's a blue ballpoint signature unusual for the large size of the autograph.

3) A Surveyor launch cover signed by the Apollo 14 crew. I had sent it to Stu Roosa for his own autograph and, instead of the usual autopen, I received it back with the entire crew, a personalized signed litho of Roosa, a signed letter from him, and NASA booklets and pictures. I guess Roosa really liked my letter!

These are probably not the most valuable items in my collection, but they hold the most memories.

posted 07-13-2003 03:21 PM               

1) Whatever cover I'm looking at. Ok, ok, I know that was a cheap shot but it's true. Will do better on the next two.

2) An Apollo 15 USS Okinawa Navy Cachet auto'd by Irwin. When I went to the Space Unit National Meeting in 1986 in Chicago, I didn't know a soul in the Space Unit. I walked in and everyone was in line to get Jim Irwin's autograph (his appearance there was a complete surprise). I looked through the little bit of stuff that I had brought with me, and natch, nothing from Apollo 15. I muttered something to the effect that I hadn't brought any Apollo 15 items that Irwin could sign, and the guy in front of me turned around, handed me this cover, and said "now you do". That guy was Bob Boyd who has since become one of my best friends in the Space Unit.

3) An X-15 first captive flight cover auto'd by Crossfield. Back in the late '80's I had two covers that fellow Space Unit member Chris Thompson wanted really, really badly. Knowing that I am an X-15 fanatic, he found this X-15 cover (which is extremely hard to find), sent it off to Crossfield for signature, and then plunked it down in front of me in a trade session. Turned out that something in someone else's trade box caught Chris' eye, and he was willing to give up one of my two covers for it. To make a long story short, we ended up pulling off a three-way trade that took most of the afternoon to negotiate and became a spectator sport for the rest of the gang at the trade session.

posted 07-13-2003 07:44 PM               

My favorite cover? ...it's the one I haven't gotten yet. Or maybe like Davids other thread, the one that will cost me a small fortune to complete.

Seriously, my favorite cover series is "The Space Craft Series".... gotta try and collect them all!

Favorite cover, thus far, for best "investment".... the Green Grisom or Mariner 1 SCC covers.

For that best 60's look,(you guys might think this silly but remember I'm new ), a Sokolsky(?) cover of Scott Carpenter's Aurora 7 that I got signed in DC.

Best and only Apollo crew signed...A14 launch.

I'm afraid to like the Neil cover I've got, a KSC stamped cover addressed to Jonny Stelzhammer, because I fear it might not be authentic(ugh).I purchased this from an Aviation Arts dealer and it looks OK to me but in light of all the postings here of late, I'm afraid to like it too much because of the let down if it's not authentic.

It's always a pleasure to see the "Stamps and Covers" file lit up when I go on to messages.....something I can relate to!

posted 07-15-2003 07:05 PM               

I have pletty of the KSCPS cachet covers from the early 1980s; both pre-launch events and actual mission activities. What cover events are you looking for as I'll be happy to help in anyway I can?

posted 07-16-2003 05:07 PM               

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Evan