Gordon Cooper’s silver ‘senior pilot’ astronaut wings badge produced by Vanguard, measuring 3″ long, hallmarked on the reverse, “Vanguard, 1-V, 10K.” Includes a brief handwritten letter of provenance signed by Cooper, in full: “These wings presented in Wash DC. by Gen Curtis Lemay to Gordon Cooper—1963.” Some light tarnishing to the wings and heavy overall creasing and wrinkling to the letter, otherwise overall fine condition. A rare and important example from Cooper, who piloted the longest and final Mercury spaceflight on May 15, 1963.
