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Flown Series 1953A silver certificate two-dollar bill, serial number A60730193A, carried aboard the Mercury-Atlas 6 Friendship 7 spacecraft for the first crewed U.S. orbital flight on February 20, 1962, nicely signed in fountain pen by the pilot, “J. H. Glenn, Jr.,” and the backup pilot, “M. Scott Carpenter.” Also signed in fountain pen by a McDonnell technician, "Joe Trammel, Good Luck John." Encapsulated and graded by PMG as "Very Fine 30," with the label noting the provenance: "Ex. Joe Trammel / Flown Aboard Mercury Friendship 7, 1962 / Jefferson Space Museum Collection."
Complete with its original certificate, also signed in fountain pen by John Glenn and Scott Carpenter, as well as a notary, dated May 9, 1962, in full: "This certifies the following U.S. currency, Serial No. A60730193A, accompanied Lt. Col. John H. Glenn on the first manned orbital flight aboard Friendship 7, Feb. 20, 1962." Also signed later in the left margin in black felt tip, "'God Speed John Glenn,' Scott Carpenter."
This note belongs to the small group of U.S. currency clandestinely stowed aboard Friendship 7 by launch crew personnel, who rolled the bills into tubes and taped them within wiring inside the capsule prior to flight. Their presence later became the subject of a congressional inquiry, and ground crew 'contraband' was forbidden from future Mercury flights. Although initial reporting indicated that 200 $1 bills had been flown, a NASA Security Office memo dated March 9, 1962, reported that approximately $52–$56 in currency—just 32 $1 and $2 bills—had been placed aboard by McDonnell Aircraft employees. Surviving documentation suggests that no more than 15 examples were $2 bills, making flown notes of this denomination from Glenn’s mission particularly scarce.
The Richard Jurek Collection.
This item is Pre-Certified by STEVE ZARELLI
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