"Space flown" coins with a little duct tape thrown in.

[SkyMan]

There were 2 theoretically space flown coins at the recent Heritage space memorabilia auction. Both of them were from Tony Broadway. Here's a little spiel from the catalogue about Tony...

 

"Tony Broadway was the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building Supervisor for NASA, a well-liked figure with a close personal relationship with many of the astronauts. After leaving NASA, he opened a bar and restaurant in Rockledge, Florida that was a popular hangout for many of the Apollo astronauts. This is from his collection and hung in that bar for many years".

 

The thing is, for items of this sort, provenance trails are all important. There is no documentation that shows these coins were given by any member of either crew to Tony. Given the condition of the coins and the lack of a provenance trail (let's say a note from one of the astronauts), I did not bid on either item. I have held the nickel lot in my hands, and the condition is very heavily circulated... I assume the quarter is in the same category just from looking at the pictures of it. Therefore I stayed away from these items. As you can see the quarter DNS, and the nickel went over estimate (it previously DNS in a previous auction with a higher reserve where I got to see it).

 

"Apollo 13" quarter

 

"Apollo 14" nickel.

 

 

 

Also, just to let you know what a complete group of lunatics (pun intended) you are dealing with in space memorabilia kind of guys, here's a link to a roll of duct tape that was on Apollo 16. What do you think it went for?

 

Apollo 16 duct tape

 

 

 

[physics-fan3.14]

The Apollo 13 quarter is really cool. Too bad the nickel isn't a 1913

[WoodenJefferson]

The duct tape is way cooler than the coins, at least it has an authenticating signature. I'd say you guys went nutso over this 21,000 mph repair tape and it sold for $875

 

Edit: put a zero on my $875 and I would have been in the ball park, shoot, I was still on the exit ramp. You space guys are worse than coin collectors!

[robec1347]

If the quarter and/or nickel were 1858 or 1958 you may have been a bidder. It's too bad there was no provenance. I don't know about the $8600 duct tape. That's a huge amount, but at least there is provenance.

[bsshog40]

I agree, when a person such as yourself Sy invest in this type memorabilia, certification of some type would have to be a must. Anyone can put a coin on a wooden plack, engrave some words on a metal plate and call it what they want.

[kryptonitecomics]

I am moving right now and I could have really used that duct tape...thanks for nothing Sy