LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 Sept Grand Format Air & Space #669  / 

25060

Original Mercury Astronauts - Two Signed FDCs

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:75.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 500.00 USD
Original Mercury Astronauts - Two Signed FDCs
<B>Original "Mercury Seven" Astronauts - Two Project Mercury First Day Covers Signed</B></I> each authentically by "<I>J H Glenn Jr.</B></I>" & "<I>Scott Carpenter</B></I>" along with autopen signatures of "<I>Gordon Cooper</B></I>", "<I>Gus Grissom</B></I>", "<I>W M Schirra Jr</B></I>", & "<I>D K Slayton</B></I>". The "<I>Alan B Shepard Jr</B></I>" signature is secretarial. Each of these two covers feature a block of four of the Scott #1193 stamp, and are First Day cancelled February 20, 1962, at Cape Canaveral, Florida, which was also the launch date of John Glenn in <I>Friendship 7</B></I> as the first American to orbit the earth. This particular stamp has an interesting history. It was designed and produced in secret and shipped to 305 post offices with instructions not to open until official permission was sent to unseal the packages. When John Glenn successfully completed his mission and was recovered safely from the ocean, word was given, and these stamps went on sale to the public at 3:30 that afternoon. Only Cape Canaveral postmarked covers bear the First Day cancel. Very fine condition. <I>From the estate of Dr. D. Owen Coons, Chief of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center Medical Office.</B></I><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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