Original 10.75 x 15 printing plate for an alternate Newsweek cover dated January 6, 1968, prepared in the event of disaster on Apollo 8, featuring a diagonal "Apollo Tragedy" banner in the upper corner, and square portraits of Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders. In very good to fine condition, with surface scuffing and scratching.
The Apollo 8 mission was mankind's first-ever flight to the moon, and news outlets were prepared for all eventualities—this Newsweek cover might have been used in the event that the astronauts did not return home safely. Fortunately, the crew successfully circled the moon and returned to Earth, safely splashing down in the North Pacific on December 27, 1968. The actual Newsweek cover for January 6, 1968, features an 'Apollo Triumph' banner in the corner, along with a portrait of the suited crew superimposed over images of the Earth and moon.
