Buzz Aldrin’s exceedingly rare flown Apollo 11 'Type 3' postal cover carried to the moon on the first lunar-landing mission, postmarked at Webster, Texas, on August 11, 1969, and stamped: "Delayed in quarantine at Lunar Receiving Laboratory M.S.C.–Houston, Texas." Boldly signed in blue felt tip by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, who has flight-certified the cover in ballpoint, “Carried to the Moon on Apollo 11,” and added his personal serial number to the lower left corner, “A-101.” This elusive 'Type 3' cover features a color cachet of the Apollo 11 insignia but bears a United States 6-cent stamp instead of the Apollo 8 'Earthrise’ stamp. In very fine condition.
Accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Aldrin, who writes: “This postal cover with the Apollo 11 emblem cachet was flown to the Moon during July 16 to 24, 1969 on the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong and myself made the first lunar landing of the Apollo Program on July 20, 1969. After 22 hours on the lunar surface and a lunar surface exploration time of over two and a half hours, we returned to join Michael Collins in lunar orbit. We all returned to earth on July 24, 1969. The cover has been in the Aldrin family's private collection since 1969 and was signed by the Apollo 11 crew: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and myself. I have written on the cover that it was ‘Carried to the Moon on Apollo 11’ and added my initial ‘A’ with the number 101, which is my personal serial number of this group of covers.”
Although the crew splashed down on July 24, 1969, the astronauts, along with their equipment and belongings, were immediately quarantined in the Manned Spacecraft Center's Lunar Receiving Laboratory until August 11th, when the covers were able to be postmarked at the Webster, Texas, Post Office. Examples of this remarkable flown ‘Type 3’ quarantine cover are virtually unobtainable and rarely offered at auction, with our research revealing the sale of only one other example in the past 10 years. A marvelous lunar-flown keepsake of the utmost rarity and importance, augmented furthermore by its rock-solid provenance, unique ‘quarantine’ designation, and a bold cast of Apollo 11 signatures.
This item is Pre-Certified by STEVE ZARELLI
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