Space collectors take their cue: Apollo 7 cue card stars at Lunar Legacies' sale

The results of Lunar Legacies' exciting auction of valuable space collectibles concluded over the weekend (August 20-21) and the results have just been released and are hot off the (virtual) press.

Top lot in the memorabilia auction was Walt Cunningham's Flown Apollo 7 Orbit TV Show Cue Card.

Apollo 7 Walter Cunningham cue card
Apollo 7 Walter Cunningham's lyrical cue card

Cunningham's personal 5.5"x 8.5" card "...and as the sun sinks slowly in the west..." was one of a set that was used in the Apollo 7 crew's Emmy winning broadcast from space "High Above Everything".

This card, like the others, was printed on fireproof paper stock. At least three of the cards from this small group used for the TV show, now reside in museums, including the Smithsonian. This may be the last card that will ever be offered for sale.

Cunningham signed card
The reverse of the card signed by Cunningham

After the mission, the Apollo 7 Commander Wally Schirra split the cards between the three astronauts, and he wrote Cunningham's name on the back of this card.

Under that, Cunningham has written a note about the significance of this card and has signed it. The card has some light handling wear slight and some wear on the right edge, but no creases or bends.

Walter Cunningham using cue card
The cue card in action

The piece has straightforward provenance as it is directly from the personal collection of Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham. It sold for $4,200 to a delighed bidder.

Apollo 7 was the first manned mission of the program and was a technical success, but all three astronauts were refused further space missions, largely due to non-compliant and sometimes downright tetchy replies to Capcom.

 

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