With just a few days to go before the conclusion of Regency Superior's Space Memorabilia auction, here's a last look at some of the highlights of the sale.
We've already noted the Soviet Space Suit, a rare gold Saint-Gaudens coins flown in space by Neil Armstrong and a photograph which Regency's Vice-President Penney Kols described to us as the 'Holy Grail' of space autograph collecting as it has the signatures of all 12 moonwalkers.
Staying with the subject of the Apollo missions, there are two contrasting pieces of space memorabilia available:
Firstly, marking the tragic start of the series, is a 1967 Grissom, White & Chaffee autographed photo. That is, a triple-signed photo of the tragically lost crew who died on January 27, 1967 in the cabin fire while in training aboard Apollo, just 14 days before launch was scheduled.
 Apollo 11 flown silver Robbins medallion |
The mission is usually designated as 'Apollo 1' as a mark of respect, although this was retrospective.
The signatures here are in strong black marker on a colour 8"x10" official NASA photograph with red serial number at upper left. Scarce as a crew-signed photo, an uninscribed one such as this is in still higher demand. It is in extremely fine condition.
Then there is a 1969 Apollo 11 flown to the Moon Silver Robbins Medallion.
This 28mm sterling silver medal was #439 of only 450 flown to the Moon July 16-24, 1969 aboard Apollo 11 with crew Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.
The medallions stayed aboard the command module 'Columbia' while the lunar module 'Eagle' landed on the Moon's surface.
The obverse features the early version of the mission logo designed by Michael Collins of the eagle landing on the Moon's surface with olive branch in beak while the later mission logo shows the eagle carrying the olive branch in its talons. The reverse has the serial number and mission dates.
 Apoll 1 signed photograph White Grissom Chaffee |
In fact there are a range of Robbins medallions available in the sale, mostly thanks to one individual as Penney Kols noted.
"One collector has provided flown Robbins Medallions for nearly all of the Apollo missions including the highly sought after Apollo 11, and the seldom available Apollo 16."
This particular medallion is expected to sell for $20,000-25,000, whilst the Apollo 1 piece is listed at $10,000 - $15,000 in the online sale which closes on October 14.
