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Apollo 11 'Type 1' postal cover carried to the moon on the first lunar-landing mission, postmarked at Webster, Texas, on August 11, 1969, and stamped: "Delayed in Quarantine at Lunar Receiving Laboratory M.S.C.–Houston, Texas." Boldly signed in blue felt tip by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, who has flight-certified the cover in ballpoint, “Carried to the Moon on Apollo 11,” and added his personal serial number to the upper left corner, “A-75.” This elusive 'Type 1' MSC Stamp Club cover features a color cachet portraying Apollo 11 lunar surface operations but bears a United States 6-cent stamp, rather than the Apollo 8 'Earthrise' stamp seen on non-flown insurance covers. In very fine condition.
Accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Buzz Aldrin, who writes: “This NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club commemorative postal cover was flown to the Moon during July 16 to 24, 1969 on the Apollo 11 mission. The cover was carried in the command module Columbia. The lunar module Eagle made the first manned lunar landing on July 20, 1969. The cover has been in the Aldrin family's private collection since 1969 and was signed by the Apollo 11 crew, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and myself prior to launch. I have written on the cover that it was 'carried to the Moon on Apollo 11' and added my initial 'A' with the number 75, which is my personal serial number of this group of covers.”
Although the crew splashed down on July 24, 1969, the astronauts, along with their equipment and belongings, were immediately quarantined in the Manned Spacecraft Center's Lunar Receiving Laboratory until August 11th, when the covers were able to be postmarked at the Webster, Texas, Post Office. A marvelous moon-flown cover with rock-solid provenance, a unique ‘quarantine’ designation, and a superb pre-flight cast of Apollo 11 autographs.
