Three Fascinating Space Artifacts Certified by CAG Each Realize Prices Over $100,000

Three fascinating artifacts that were certified by Collectibles Authentication Guaranty® (CAG®) as having been flown on the historic Apollo 11 moon mission each realized prices over $100,000 in a Heritage Auctions space sale. These important items from the Armstrong Family Collection™ were the top three lots in the auction, which was held November 12, 2021.

A 4-inch-by-6-inch American flag (lot 50328) realized $275,000, which is tied for the third-highest price of any artifact from the Armstrong Family Collection. Entirely certified by CAG, this impressive collection comprises thousands of items saved by the family of astronaut Neil Armstrong, which are being sold in a series of auctions that began in 2018.

Apollo 11 Flown 4-by-6-inch US Flag, certified by CAG as part of The Armstrong Family Collection. Click images to enlarge.

Each astronaut on the Apollo 11 mission was allowed to take along items such as flags and medals. Armstrong, who was the mission commander and the first person to walk on the moon, was also allowed to take pieces from the Wright Flyer and then keep some of them. That airplane made history in 1903 when the Wright Brothers achieved the first manned powered flight in North Carolina.

One of these Wright Flyer pieces, a piece of wing fabric (lot 50327), realized $125,000 in the November auction. The sale also featured a second piece of Wright Flyer wing fabric, which was certified by CAG as being from the collection of Otto Kallir (lot 50088). This piece, which was not part of the Apollo 11 mission, realized $16,875.

CAG-certified Wright Flyer Wing Pieces pedigreed to The Armstrong Family Collection (realized $125,000) and the Otto Kallir Collection (realized $16,875). Click images to enlarge.

Meanwhile, a CAG-certified Apollo 11 Flown Robbins Medal from the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50326) realized $106,250. These medals were struck for the astronauts as keepsakes from their historic mission, and this one shows the famous Apollo 11 insignia of an eagle landing on the moon.

The auction also included two other examples of flown Apollo 11 Robbins Medals, both certified by CAG as being from the Potter-Aldrin Family Collection (lots 50237 and 50238). They were given to Fay Ann Potter by her brother, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, one of the first two people to walk on the moon. Each of these medals realized $30,000 in the sale.

Other CAG-certified highlights in the auction included:

• an Apollo 11 Insurance Cover - Type Three certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50329) that realized $21,250
• an Apollo 13 Flown Robbins Medal certified by CAG as part of the Potter-Aldrin Family Collection (lot 50240) that realized $17,500
• an Apollo 11 Insurance Cover - Type One certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50330) that realized $15,000
• a NASA Photograph Signed by Armstrong of Armstrong in a Spacesuit certified by CAG as part of the Armstrong Family Collection (lot 50333) that realized $15,000
• an Apollo 14 Flown Robbins Medal certified by CAG as part of the Potter-Aldrin Family Collection (lot 50241) that realized $13,750
• an Apollo 8 Flown Robbins Medal certified by CAG as part of the Potter-Aldrin Family Collection (lot 50234) that realized $12,500
• an Apollo Flown 12 Robbins Medal certified by CAG as part of the Potter-Aldrin Family Collection (lot 50239) that realized $10,000

Prices realized include buyer's premium.