CAG-certified US Flag from Apollo 11 Mission Sells for Over $60,000

An American flag certified by Collectibles Authentication Guaranty® (CAG®) as one that was taken along by astronaut Neil Armstrong on the Apollo 11 moon mission topped a recent Heritage Auctions sale. The Space Exploration Signature Auction #6273 was held May 19-20, 2023.

The top lot in the auction was the CAG-certified Apollo 11 Flown American Flag from the Armstrong Family Collection™ (lot 50205), which was aboard the first spaceflight mission to land humans on the moon on July 20, 1969. The historic space artifact generated over a dozen bids, as it realized $62,500.

Apollo 11 Flown Flag - United States of America from the Armstrong Family Collection™ Click image to enlarge.

The silk American flag is roughly the size of a postcard (measuring 4.25 inches by 5.75 inches) and was owned by Armstrong, who is the first person to ever set foot on the moon. Armstrong took the flag aboard Apollo 11 and subsequently preserved it within his own collection upon his return to Earth. This vital piece of historic space memorabilia also included a Statement of Provenance from Armstrong's sons, Rick and Mark Armstrong.

Other CAG-certified highlights in the auction included:

• a piece of Wright Flyer Wing Fabric pedigreed to the Otto Kallir Collection (lot 50001), which realized $13,125
• an Apollo 11 Insurance Cover - Type One (Moon Landing Day, July 20, 1969 - Houston, Texas) from the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50206), which realized $12,500
• a 1965 Flown Gemini 3 Gilt/Sterling Fliteline Medal pedigreed to the Gus Grissom Estate (lot 50089), which realized $6,000
• a 1966 Flown Gemini 8 Gilt/Sterling Fliteline Medal graded NGC MS 63 from the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50101), which realized $5,000
• an Alexei Nikolayevich Kosygin Personal Business Card presented to Neil Armstrong from the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50754), which realized $3,500
• a 1961-D Flown Mercury-Redstone 4 Roosevelt Dime with Engraved Charm from the Gus Grissom Estate (lot 50062), which realized $3,250
• a 1969 Flown Apollo 9 Robbins Medal graded MS 64 and pedigreed to James A. McDivitt (lot 50167), which realized $2,000
• a NASA Photograph of Michael Collins from September 10, 1964 and pedigreed to the Michael Collins Collection (lot 50540), which realized $1,000

Prices realized include buyer’s premium.