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Apollo 15 Trial Cancellation

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:800.00 - 1,000.00 USD
Apollo 15 Trial Cancellation

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Auction Date:2020 Jul 16 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:15th Floor WeWork, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Scarce NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club commemorative cover with a color cachet honoring ten years of US manned spaceflight, featuring a first day of issue trial cancellation for Apollo 15's last day of lunar exploration, reading: "United States on the Moon, Aug. 2, 1971." The cover was created before the flight by Dr. Matthew Radnofsky. In fine condition. This was the cancellation that Dave Scott chose to use on the lunar surface.

The U.S. Postal Service had two postmarks with an adjustable date made for Apollo 15 and sent them to the Moon. Before the flight, Matthew Radnofsky made a few trial cancellations of both with the following date settings:

“Moon Landing, USA”: JUL 29, 1971, JUL 30, 1971, and JUL 31, 1971
“United States on the Moon”: AUG 2, 1971, and AUG 3, 1971

On August 2, 1972, CDR Dave Scott opened the very first post office on the moon and cancelled an envelope at the request of the U.S. Postal Service. Like an unused reserve envelope, it is stamped with a hand-perforated proof of the new 8-cent dual postmark 'A Decade of Achievement,' meaning ten years of success in space. Dave Scott decided to use the “United States on the Moon” postmark. The stamp impression was weak, however. He thus imprinted a second—albeit not better—postmark below. This ceremony was broadcast live on TV. At the same time on Earth, these new stamps were issued at post offices in Kennedy Space Center, Florida, in Houston, Texas, and in Huntsville, Alabama.

The official Apollo 15 'Moon Letter' is on display at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. Sometimes, it is presented at major philatelic exhibitions around the world. The Apollo 15 stamp device was not taken back to Earth. The National Postal Museum only possesses a replica of the “United States on the Moon” postmark.

The dates of the very few known trial cancellations break up as follows:
- 3 covers - Moon Landing, USA - JUL 29, 1971
- 2 covers - Moon Landing, USA - JUL 30, 1971
- 3 covers - Moon Landing, USA - JUL 31, 1971
- 5 covers - United States on the Moon - AUG 2, 1971
- 2 covers - United States on the Moon - AUG 3, 1971
- 1 clipping - United States on the Moon - AUG 3, 1971