The bag used to bring back to earth the very first sample of lunar material ever collected comes up at Sotheby’s in New York on July 20 – the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. Traces of the moon dust and small rocks are still embedded in the fabric of the bag, which is labeled “Lunar Sample Return”. Nearly all of the equipment from that historic mission is housed in the U.S. National Collections at the Smithsonian; however a recent court ruling has allowed this to be the only such artifact in private hands. It comes up at an inaugural Space Exploration sale and is estimated at $2-4 million.
Cassandra Hatton, Vice President and Senior Specialist in charge of the sale commented: “This seemingly modest bag was part of mankind’s greatest journey, and played a crucial role in the single most important scientific task of the Apollo 11 mission – to bring back the very first sample of lunar material ever collected. To be able to see such an object in person is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is one thing to read about going to the moon; it is quite another to hold in one’s hands an object that was actually there, and that still carries traces of that faraway place.”
UPDATE: THIS MADE $1.8 MILLION