For Skyman......and anyone else who likes 'space coins'

savoyspecial · November 11, 2009 11:40AM

Was perusing a 1977 Kagin's catalog tonight and ran across this:

RunnersDad · November 11, 2009 11:42AM

Very cool tidbit of knowledge. Thanks for sharing.

Swampboy · November 11, 2009 12:27PM

Maybe Skyman can tell us where this piece resides?

SkyMan · November 11, 2009 1:17PM

WOW!!! That is VERY cool!!! That was well before my time for coin collecting started... I was 19 in 1977, and wasn't even interested in coins, much less space flown coins. Given that it went for $15,000 in '72 I can't begin to imagine what it would fetch nowadays.

I have NO idea where that puppy resides. It is obviously someone's pride and joy. I am quite surprised that it was in such good condition, as the Gemini 7 flight was in 1965, and I'm sure a high grade 1793 Cent cost a serious chunk of change back then too. The astronauts were career military so they weren't exactly gushing with wealth. Gus Grissom, when he flew in 1961, wanted to bring 100 one dollar bills with him, but he couldn't afford $100 so he brought 100 dimes, e.g. $10, with him instead.

Does anyone have a Redbook from circa 1965 so you can let us know what a 1793 Cent in AU would run back then?

robec · November 11, 2009 1:40PM

I have a 1961 Red Book and they only give a price for Good and Fine which was $70 and $140.

Billet7 · November 11, 2009 1:55PM

Neat-O! Who wouldn't like that kind of "space coin!"

savoyspecial · November 11, 2009 8:51PM

>>Given that it went for $15,000 in '72 I can't begin to imagine what it would fetch nowadays>>

the coin sans "space provinance" is probably a $30k coin.......i'm not sure how the premium for this would be calculated (2x?)

HoledandCreative · November 12, 2009 4:11PM

My 1965 Redbook lists 3 Wreath Cents in Fair, G, VG, F, and the top grade of VF. Prices for the 3 in VF are $500, 580, and $615.

SkyMan · November 13, 2009 7:51AM

Thank you everyone for all the info.

I would have to guess that the astronauts got some sort of financial backing to bring this sucker with them... MAYBE they had some sort of a deal with a 3rd party.

Cam40 · November 13, 2009 8:08AM

15,000 what. it doesnt say its a dollar amount. read it again

savoyspecial · April 24, 2015 2:12PM

**************************UPDATE************************

thread revival....because its being sold: link to Stacks Bowers Auction

MidLifeCrisis · April 24, 2015 2:15PM

As revived old threads go, this one is pretty cool!

savoyspecial · April 24, 2015 2:17PM

well thank you....also, never realized until today that Kagin's had the Shedon variety wrong back in '77

It is a late die state S-9, not an S-8

Walkerfan · April 24, 2015 2:28PM

The results should be interesting!!!!!

keyman64 · April 24, 2015 2:42PM

<< <i>**************************UPDATE************************

thread revival....because its being sold: link to Stacks Bowers Auction >>

I posted THIS THREAD on Thursday and was completely ignored but I sent SkyMan a PM about it to let him know. He is aware.

lordmarcovan · April 24, 2015 4:40PM

<< <i>Does anyone have a Redbook from circa 1965 so you can let us know what a 1793 Cent in AU would run back then? >>

I actually do, somewhere. I keep two old Redbooks: a 1965 (my birthyear), and a 1976 (the year I started collecting). I'll try to remember to look it up when I get home. Edit- oh- never mind. I see H&C already answered that.

ricko · April 25, 2015 1:58AM

Will be interesting to see what it sells for.... the premium will be worth it to space geeks... I suppose even copper collectors would like this as well. Cheers, RickO

savoyspecial · June 6, 2015 11:10AM

one final update....and this time to add a color photo from NASA (courtesy of Frank Van Valen)

TopographicOceans · June 6, 2015 12:46PM

They took it along in case they needed gas as this is the only coinage accepted by space aliens.

True story.

DCW · June 7, 2015 1:07AM

Looks like it was certified NGC XF45 and sold for just under $100k.
What a great piece of history. I often wonder what would happen to the market if a few celebrities entered with big money. 100 grand would be a drop in the pan to a Tom Hanks or a Stephen Spielberg, both lovers of history.

SkyMan · June 7, 2015 2:36AM

For a space memorabilia collector this wasn't a particularly "Big" item. The ASTRONAUTS NEVER TOUCHED THE COIN until after the flight. They didn't even know it was there until after the flight. So, it was rather a back ended kind of a thing, that IMO deserved no significant premium. As a coin, it is obviously quite attractive, and if I had the scratch I might have paid market value for the coin as a coin, e.g. without the added spaceflight premium.

robec · June 7, 2015 4:04AM

The 1977 Kagin catalog was also in error in saying this was the only coin taken into outer space. Gus Grissom took a roll of 1964 dated Roosevelt dimes on one of his flights. Sy has one of those along with a $2.5 gold coin that was taken into orbit in 1965.

Overdate · June 7, 2015 5:29AM

I wonder how much the 1909 VDB Mars cent will fetch when it is retrieved. (Assuming it is ever released to the market.)

First coin to be present on two planets.

WinLoseWin · June 7, 2015 7:24AM

Here is a link to a Numismatic News article about it along with some good pictures. It brought $82,250, well above the $50,000 top estimate.

Large cent’s space flight adds value

For Skyman......and anyone else who likes 'space coins'

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