The only full-body photo of Neil Armstrong on the moon shows him working at the Apollo 11 lunar module "Eagle." (NASA)
The vast personal collection of Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, will be auctioned off this year.
The Armstrong Family collection will be presented by Heritage Auctions in November 2018 and May/November 2019. It has over 2,000 items, including a number of never-before-seen artifacts from his lunar landing.
Pieces of a wing and propeller from the 1903 Wright Brothers flight that the famous astronaut took with him to the Moon, a gold pin from Gemini VIII, Armstrong’s first mission, and historic correspondence are just some of the items that will be auctioned off later this year.
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The American flag from Neil Armstrong's lunar landing will be up for auction later this year. (Heritage Auctions)
The auctions are set to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.
“There will be items that make you think, items that make you laugh and items that make you scratch your head,” Mark Armstrong, one of the astronaut’s sons, said in a statement.
On July 20, 1969, millions worldwide watched as Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the Moon and uttered the now-iconic words: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Other highlights from the collection include Apollo 11 Robbins medallions, including an extremely rare gold one; a Purdue University Centennial silk flag, carried by Armstrong to the moon; and Armstrong’s Boy Scouts cap—he became an Eagle Scout at age 17.
"Neil Armstrong's bravery and skill defines what it means to be an American hero," Todd Imhof, executive vice president at Heritage Auctions, said in a statement. "These are some of the most iconic historical items ever to be sold."
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