FLOWN Apollo XVI Crew Cover

Sale 1967 - Lot 220

Unsold

Estimate: $ 25,000 - $ 35,000

ONE OF ONLY 25 COVERS CARRIED TO THE LUNAR SURFACE. FLOWN Apollo XVI Crew Cover. Postal cover with a cachet of the Apollo 16 crew emblem between two astronaut pins. Approximately 3.5x6.5 inches. Dual postmarks of the launch date, April 16, 1972, at KSC and the splashdown date of April 27, 1972 on the USS Ticonderoga. April, 1972

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Additional Details

The envelope was made from a lightweight cotton bond paper which saved several ounces of weight as compared to the Apollo 16 crew insurance covers. This cover was canceled at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and placed inside Duke's Personal Preference Kit (PPK) in command module 'Casper' just prior to launch. During the flight, these covers were transferred to the LM and landed on the surface with Young and Duke. Once the covers returned to earth, Duke had them canceled again on the recovery ship.
Apollo 16 is the last lunar flight to carry postal covers due to the Apollo 15 "smuggled" cover scandal that erupted just after the return of Apollo 16. NASA severely restricted what could be carried on missions after Apollo 16. This is probably the last lunar surface cover to be available directly from the Duke Collection. The only cover left is number 1 which will remain in the family collection. The cover has been signed by Duke on the front and inscribed and signed along the back flap with: "I certify that cover #2 of a total of 25 carried to the Moon on the Apollo 16 flight, landed on the Moon. Approved for stowage in my personal preference kit. Charles M. Duke, Jr.". With a 1985 notarized letter signed by Duke describing additional details about the flight and illustrating a color copy of this exact cover.