Three CAG-certified Michael Collins Artifacts Each Realize Over $100,000

An American flag and two other artifacts flown on the Apollo 11 moon mission, which were carefully authenticated and attributed by Collectibles Authentication Guaranty® (CAG®), each realized over $100,000 at a recent sale. They were among a number of CAG-certified items from the Personal Collection of Michael Collins that were offered in the Heritage Auctions Space Exploration Signature Auction on June 2-3, 2022.

The top lot in the sale was an American flag that Collins, the Command Module Pilot, brought along on the historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. The 11-by-15-inch flag, which is signed by Collins, realized $162,500 (lot 50054).

Apollo 11 Flown Flag - United States of America certified by CAG as part of the Personal Collection of Michael Collins. Realized $162,500 Click images to enlarge.

It was one of several flags in the sale that Collins brought along on Apollo 11 and signed. Others included a 4-by-6-inch American flag that realized $81,250 (lot 50053); a 4-by-6-inch Texas flag that realized $18,750 (lot 50051); a 4-by-6-inch Italian flag that realized $16,250 (lot 50048); and a 4-by-6-inch United Nations flag that realized $13,750 (lot 50047).

Another impressive keepsake, a piece of Beta cloth that was flown on Apollo 11, realized $137,500 (lot 50059). This particular piece of the fireproof material includes the mission insignia and is signed by Collins and his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Apollo 11 Flown Crew Signed Beta Cloth certified by CAG as part of the Personal Collection of Michael Collins. Realized $137,500 Click images to enlarge.

Meanwhile, a star chart that was used by Collins on the mission realized $125,000 (lot 50058). Collins used it to enter data about the spacecraft's position into its computer. Collins piloted the Apollo 11 Command Module in orbit of the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the surface in the Lunar Module on July 20, 1969.

Apollo 11 Flown Star Chart certified by CAG as part of the Personal Collection of Michael Collins. Realized: $125,000 Click images to enlarge.

Two Apollo 11 Robbins Medals were offered in the sale, realizing $52,500 and $36,250 (lots 50090 and 50089). These medals were struck for the Apollo astronauts and included their mission insignia on the obverse. It was Collins who developed the idea for the Apollo 11 mission insignia showing an eagle landing on the moon's surface, with the Earth in the background. This design was later adapted for the reverse of the Eisenhower and Susan B. Anthony Dollars.

1969 Flown Apollo 11 Robbins Medal graded NGC MS 67 and certified by CAG as part of the Personal Collection of Michael Collins. Realized: $52,500 Click images to enlarge.

These and other medals from the Personal Collection of Michael Collins were certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®), the CAG affiliate that authenticates and grades coins, tokens and medals. Other numismatic highlights in the sale included a Switzerland (1977) Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Gold Medal graded NGC MS 66 that realized $18,750 (lot 50066) and a 1968 Flown Apollo 8 Robbins Medal graded NGC MS 65 that realized $15,000 (lot 50086).

To call attention to their important pedigree, the items in the Personal Collection of Michael Collins were encapsulated with a special CAG label that includes the mission insignias from Gemini 10 and Apollo 11 — Collins' two missions to space.

CAG is an expert and impartial certification service that authenticates and preserves the provenance of collectibles, memorabilia and estate items at the source. CAG is an independent member of the Certified Collectibles Group® (CCG®), which includes the leading certification services for coins, paper money, comic books, stamps, trading cards and other collectibles. Together, the CCG companies have certified more than 70 million collectibles since 1987.

Other highlights from the CAG-certified Personal Collection of Michael Collins in this auction included:

• an Apollo 11 Flown Flight Plan Page with handwritten notes and signed by Michael Collins (lot 50056) that realized $47,500
• an Apollo 11 Flown Personal Preference Kit signed by Michael Collins (lot 50055) that realized $40,500
• an Apollo 11 Crew Signed Flown Quarantine Cover - Type One (lot 50040) that realized $37,500
• an Apollo 8 Crew Signed First Day Cover - First Manned Lunar Orbit (lot 50022) that realized $35,000
• an Apollo 11 Crew Signed Presidential Dinner Plaque mounted on cardstock (lot 50038), that realized $17,500