CAG Certifies Selections from the Michael Collins Collection

Collectibles Authentication Guaranty™ (CAG™) was chosen by Michael Collins and his family to certify a number of artifacts from Collins’ personal collection. The astronaut is best known for serving as the Command Module Pilot on the historic Apollo 11 mission, the first to put men on the moon.

Among the rare items is a piece of Beta cloth flown on Apollo 11. The 6-inch-by-6-inch swath of fireproof material features the Apollo 11 mission insignia, as well as the signatures of Collins and his two crewmates: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. It is being offered in a Heritage Auctions sale of space memorabilia in May.

6-inch-by-6-inch piece of Beta cloth, flown on Apollo 11, certified by CAG as part of Michael Collins' collection. Click image to enlarge.

Collins created the famous Apollo 11 mission insignia, showing an eagle landing on the cratered surface of the moon, with the Earth in the background. This design was famously adapted for the reverse of the Eisenhower dollar in the 1970s.

After leaving NASA, Collins served as director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which now counts the Apollo 11 Command Module as part of its collection. Today, Collins is 88 and retired.

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, magazines, concert posters, stamps and other collectibles. Together, the CCG companies have certified more than 53 million collectibles since 1987.

When a collection is accepted by CAG, it is thoroughly evaluated by CAG’s experts. Each item is assigned a unique certification number, described in detail and, if applicable, assigned a grade. Items are then photographed in high resolution and encapsulated in one of CAG’s tamper-evident holders designed for both long-term preservation and eye-catching display. For collectibles that cannot be encapsulated in holders, CAG issues a CAG Photo Certificate, which includes a description of the item and its provenance along with high-resolution images.

The first major collection certified by CAG was The Armstrong Family Collection™, which comprises thousands of items saved by Armstrong and his immediate family. Nearly 1,000 of them realized a combined $5.2 million when they were featured in a Heritage Auctions sale in November 2018. The results included an Apollo 11-flown US flag that realized $275,000.

About Collectibles Authentication Guaranty (CAG)

CAG works directly with collectors, estates, artists and museums to preserve the authenticity and provenance of memorabilia and estate items at the source. Memorabilia, estate items and other diverse collections benefit from CAG’s unique process, holders and expertise. With authenticity and provenance guaranteed, collectors have greater confidence, which results in a safer and more vibrant marketplace.