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posted 03-18-2016 05:21 AM               

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In this case, I've got dozens of covers like this with Lovell signing on top, Mattingly below him, and with Haise on the bottom. This MSCSC cachet variety for Apollo 13 were the first mission logo covers signed by the original crew as part of their personal insurance covers.

Keep in mind that the crewmen were signing the covers in large quantities, therefore, you can see on some — at times — a slightly different or rushed-up signature or two.

Concerning the Lovell interfering with Mattingly's autograph, actually, I've got quite a few just the same as this one. But I don't know if Lovell signed before Mattingly did on the cover(s), but in either way, I am not that concerned or surprised even if the original CMP did slightly "touch" portions of Lovell's signature(s).

Posts: 361
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posted 03-28-2016 08:06 PM               

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As I understand "insurance covers," a few days (weeks?) before the mission, the crew would all sign a bunch of specific covers. They were then given to someone who held on to them until actual launch, at which time he/she would have them properly canceled with the launch time/date and then held for, or given to, the crews families.

If this is the case, could this Lovell, Mattingly, Haise signed cover be an "intended" insurance cover that never became one because it never got cancelled or distributed due to the last minute crew change?

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posted 03-28-2016 10:05 PM               

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To the best of my knowledge, there were no Swigert-signed insurance covers before Apollo 13's launch to the moon.

In my opinion, there just wasn't enough time at all to autograph and handle any insurance covers since Swigert had been added to the prime crew only two days before liftoff.

But once Swigert returned back to earth after the aborted lunar landing attempt, it appears that only a very limited number of insurance covers were signed by him on both original crew insurance cachet cover types.

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posted 03-29-2016 05:08 AM               

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Although there may not be any true insurance covers out there I do believe there are several pre-flight signed covers that have the signatures of both Mattingly and Swigert along with the rest of the crew.

Much like the cover offered above, while not a true insurance cover it was signed pre-flight. With the crew change only a few days before liftoff the four signature pre-flight crew covers are probably fairly scarce.

Posts: 2914
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
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posted 03-29-2016 06:08 AM               

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Once again though, and to the best of my limited knowledge, I've never seen a MSCSC or Bishop insignia cover for Apollo 13 signed "pre-flight" with Jack Swigert added.

I've only seen them with Swigert added after his return from flight. Have you seen any of these that I am not aware of?