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The only photo of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong standing on the moon is slated to go up for auction, where it's expected to sell for big bucks.
The picture of Armstrong, the first man on the moon, is part of a larger sale that includes approximately 2,400 photos from NASA's "golden age of space exploration," according to a press release from auction house Christie's.
(CREDIT: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2020)
"The collection is the most comprehensive private collection of NASA photographs ever presented at auction, and spans every visual milestone of the space program, from the early days of Mercury, the technical advances of Gemini and Lunar Orbiter, to the triumphs of Apollo," Christie's wrote in the release. "Alongside the iconic images, Voyage to Another World boasts photographs which were not released by NASA at the time of the missions. With estimates ranging from £800 to £30,000, the sale offers collectors across the globe a unique opportunity to acquire a universal moment in the history of mankind."
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It has a pre-sale estimate of between 30,000 and 50,000 British pounds or $39,700 to $66,200.
The iconic photo shows Armstrong standing on the lunar surface next to an American flag. It was captured by Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon and the first person to take a selfie in space.
(CREDIT: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2020)
Aldrin's selfie is also part of the auction and has a pre-sale estimate between 6,000 and 8,000 British pounds ($7,950 to $10,600).
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Including Armstrong and Aldrin, only 12 men, all Americans, have walked on the moon.
Other notable photos in the auction, which were collected by Victor Martin-Malburet over 15 years, include the famous "Blue Marble" and "Earthrise" photos, both of which have pre-sale estimates of over $30,000.
(CREDIT: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2020)
(CREDIT: CHRISTIE'S IMAGES LTD. 2020)
“The astronauts are often portrayed as great scientists and heroes, but rarely are they hailed as some of the most significant photographers of all time," Martin-Malburet said in the release. "The early pioneers of Mercury and Gemini were given as a canvas space and the Earth; the Apollo astronauts an alien world. From the thin protections of their space capsules and EMUs (Extravehicular Mobility Units), they captured, with skill and daring, photographs which immediately embraced the iconography of the sublime, inspiring awe and wonder.”
Other Armstrong-related items have been sold at auction in recent memory, including his personal belongings in October 2019.
In July 2019, a gold medal that flew aboard the Apollo 11 mission to the moon with Armstrong sold for over $2 million, Fox News previously reported.
In June 2019, a rare signed photo of Armstrong making his "giant leap for mankind" sold at auction for more than $52,000.
Armstrong died in 2012 at the age of 82.
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