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SkyMan hits the jackpot.

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SkyMan

SkyMan

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The prime backer behind the Astrodome in Houston was a Big space fan. He got the Gemini astronauts, and one other group, to sign dollar bills for his collection. These bills were NOT flown.

 

Each Gemini crew (Geminis 3 - 12) signed one of these bills. There was an auction today at Regency-Superior for space memorabilia where these bills went up for auction. I don't know whether it was the economy or what, but for most of the lots I got the bills for about half of the LOW end estimates. There were eleven bills up for auction. I was planning on bidding on five of them (Geminis 3, 4, 6, 7, 8). I got ALL ELEVEN bills for about 54% of what I was willing to go to for the FIVE notes. There was only one lot, Gemini 8, where I had even luke warm competition for bidding. I got that one for ~$1,100 (and that INCLUDES commission, tax etc.). That one has a Neil Armstrong signature on it, and Armstrong signatures generally will run you $1,500 - $2,500. I'll grant you, of the 11 bills, that one was the most beat up, but still...

 

Anyhow, here are the 10 Gemini bills and some flight highlights:

 

GT3. (The G stands for Gemini, the T stands for Titan, which was the launch rocket). "Gus" Grissom, John Young. First manned Gemini flight. First human flight to change orbit.

GT3ss.jpg

 

GT4. James McDivitt, Ed White. First US walk in space.

GT4ss.jpg

 

GT5. "Gordo" Cooper, "Pete" Conrad. Longest mission (at that point in time) ever, 8 days.

GT5ss.jpg

 

GT6. Wally Schirra, Tom Stafford. First rendezvous in space.

GT6ss.jpg

 

GT7. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell. Longest mission (at that point in time) ever, 14 days. First rendezvous in space.

GT7ss.jpg

 

GT8. Neil Armstrong, Dave Scott. First docking in space. Mission almost ended in disaster when one of the thrusters stuck in the "on" position.

GT8ss.jpg

 

GT9. Tom Stafford, Gene Cernan. First attempt by humans to do serious work while "walking" in space.

GT9ss.jpg

 

GT10. John Young, Michael Collins. First use of another (docked) rocket (on the docked Agena booster) to propel a spacecraft in space.

GT10ss.jpg

 

GT11. "Pete" Conrad, Gordon. First creation of artificial gravity in space.

GT11ss.jpg

 

GT12. Jim Lovell, "Buzz" Aldrin. First truly successful performance of space "walking" tasks.

GT12ss.jpg

 

So, that takes care of the 10 Gemini bills. The eleventh bill that I won I didn't think I had a prayer of winning, so I wasn't going to bid on it. It was estimated to go for $6,400 - $9,000 (that INCLUDES commission and CA. tax). It stopped at half the low end estimate so I put in a WTF bid and won the bill for ~$3,325 TOTAL. The bill has been signed by ALL 7 Mercury astronauts and the comedian Bill Dana the "unofficial" 8th Mercury astronaut. Dana created a skit called "Jose Jimenez" the "reluctant astronaut" that the other astronauts really liked. Here's a link to Dana's comedy routine. While there are almost certainly other bills with the Mercury 7 astronaut signatures out there (although not many I suspect), I highly doubt there are many, if any, others that have Bill Dana on it too. Still, just to get all 7 Mercury astronaut signatures in one place is very desirable, and is worth far more to space memorabilia collectors than just the 7 signatures taken by themselves.

 

JJ

 

Mercury 7. Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, "Deke" Slayton, "Gordo" Cooper, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, "Gus" Grissom. Bill Dana.

Merc7ss.jpg

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SkyMan

SkyMan

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Thanks guys! Glad you like them.

 

AWESOME collection SkyMan.....all are 1963 & 1963A, and all but 2 are from the Dallas district. I didn't know these notes existed. Congrats on picking them up.

 

I'm a coin guy (and, obviously, a space memorabilia guy), are these bills (the actual notes themselves) difficult to find?

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