Starting with Apollo 11 and up until Apollo 16, astronauts were using a rather unusual yet creative way of leaving something behind for their families.
Unable to get life insurance due to the high risks involved in Moon missions, astronauts were signing photos so their families could auction in case the landings went wrong. These autographed postal covers were the only insurance covers Apollo astronauts could have so they signed hundreds of them before leaving the Earth.
Here are some examples from Apollo 11, Apollo 12 and Apollo 16: (the article continues after the ad)
Buzz Aldrin’s Apollo 11 Insurance Cover, postmarked July 20th 1969 and signed by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.
Alan Bean’s Apollo 12 Insurance Cover, postmarked Nov. 14th 1969 and signed by Charles Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean.
John Young’s Apollo 16 Insurance Cover, postmarked April 16th 1972 and signed by John Young, Ken Mattingly and Charlie Duke.
The signed insurance covers are now being sold at private collectors with those from Apollo 11 being the most expensive ones since it was the first lunar landing mission.
If you like what you read, you will definitely love this one: What Condom Sizes Did Apollo Astronauts Wear In Space?
Photos: Creative Commons
Photoshop: I’m A Useless Info Junkie
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