posted 03-21-2015 11:22 PM               

There was only a two-year window during which Neil Armstrong signed Apollo 11-related postal covers. By mid-1971, he began returning philatelic material unsigned, a policy that remained in place until he stopped signing autographs completely 25 years later. There were two reasons: the sheer number of such items being sent for signing, and him becoming leery of signing envelopes after the Apollo 15 "signing scandal" broke.

Usually I show at the end of the item description the prices achieved at auction by similar items, so one can see that my price is reasonable. This time, to emphasize the rarity of any Apollo 11-related cover signed by Armstrong, I'll point out that this one sold for $2064, despite the fact that it had secretarial signatures of Aldrin and Collins, a typed address, and just a tiny stamped cachet. Another went for $2185, even though its cachet was a drawing that was not amazingly accurate.

I am offering two covers signed by Neil Armstrong. They both are more desirable types than the above examples, and they both come with Letters of Authenticity from respected space autographs expert Steve Zarelli.

First, there is a "recovery cover." This envelope was on board USS Hornet during the recovery mission, and was postmarked on the day of the splashdown: July 24, 1969. Cachet handstamps were also made, and they remain dark and bold. ("AS-506" was a designation sometimes used by NASA for the mission, referring to the Saturn V launch vehicle. Apollo 8's Saturn V was AS-503, etc.)

As you can see above, when the cover is flat with the front showing (as it would be in an autograph album, or framed) its appearance is excellent, with the aforementioned bold handstamps, clean white surface, and fine Armstrong autograph.

However, there is a half-inch tear at the bottom, well away from the signature. In this photo I pulled at the tear a bit to clearly show it.

On the back, one part of the flap has separated.

Again, the small tear at the bottom is almost completely invisible when the cover is lying flat, and the flaws on the back aren't visible at all.

Apollo 11 recovery covers signed by Armstrong are extremely rare. The last time an identical signed Hornet cover sold at auction, in 2008, it reached a top bid of $5117. The handstamps on that one were very, very faded. Most were completely gone, with just "U.S. N- / Recov- / Force" legible at the bottom left.

(A postcard with USS Hornet cancellations, signed by Armstrong, sold for less, but it had visible sticker residue from an address label, and cancelled plain postcards aren't as rare and collectible as full-sized covers.)

The price of this one is $3300. I would be happy to take three monthly payments.

The second cover is a First Day of Issue cover for the "First Man on the Moon" stamp, designed by Paul Calle. It is postmarked September 9, 1969.

It has the beautiful Art Craft "Man's First Landing on the Moon" cachet, with the lunar module descending to the moon, and portraits of the three crewmen.