[Apollo 11]

Directly from the Personal Collection of Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin

SIGNED BY THE FULL CREW PRIOR TO THEIR APOLLO 11 LUNAR LANDING MISSION

BUZZ ALDRIN'S provenance letter reads, in full: "This Apollo 11 NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club commemorative postal cover is one of the "insurance covers" signed by the Apollo 11 crew prior to our launch in July 1969. Since we were unable to obtain adequate life insurance due to the high-risk nature of being an astronaut, we signed this group of covers and evenly distributed them to our families for safe keeping while we performed our mission. If an unfortunate event prevented our safe return, the covers would have provided a limited financial means of support to our families.

This cover has been in my private collection since 1969. It was signed by the Apollo 11 crew – Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and myself – prior to our launch. The cover was postmarked on the day of the lunar landing in Houston, Texas on July 20, 1969. On that day, Neil Armstrong and I became the first humans to land and walk on another celestial body – the Moon."