![]() ![]() The final tally of first day covers was a phenomenal 8,743,070, a figure that nearly trebled the previous high of three million. Within three weeks after the 9 th July initial announcement, there had been 500,000 requests for First Day Covers, which would bear not only the 9 th September Washington, D.C., date stamp but also a replica of the July 20 “MOON LANDING USA” date stamp that the astronauts applied to their very own Moon letter. The stamp inspired great interest among first day cover collectors. A total of 152,364,800 stamps were printed and distributed. commemoratives – the stamp was produced in sheets of 128 rather than 200 subjects. The die was also processed for decontamination before it was sent to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where the process of preparing the plates for stamp production began promptly.īecause of its larger size – it was 50 percent larger than conventional U.S. On their return home, the letter underwent a decontamination period at Houston, along with the astronauts themselves. Nevertheless, the Moon letter had travelled more than a half-million miles, a lot lot further than any other piece of post had ever travelled. As it turned out, the two astronauts didn’t have time to postmark the “Moon letter.” So the envelope and its die proof actually were given the “ MOON LANDING/USA/JUL/20/1969” hand stamp during the return journey. “Just as I envisioned on the stamp.”Īldrin later joined Armstrong on the Moon’s surface. The Eagle has landed.”īack home in Connecticut, Paul Calle recalls how he “sat glued to the television set.” “Fortunately, when Armstrong took that first step, it was perfect,” he said. As the world watched on, Commander Armstrong sent the good news from 235,000 miles away: “ Houston, Tranquility Base here. ![]() On 20 th July, the lunar module Eagle landed on the Moon. ![]() Fortunately, that turned out to be exactly right.Īlthough some collectors questioned whether the stamp violated federal law by using a living person’s picture, it was argued that though his features were completely hidden by a space suit, it could have been none other than Neil Armstrong. The artist took a chance and showed the module’s tripod foot making a very faint imprint. Paul Calle with his historic Moon landing designĬalle’s main problem however, was envisaging what the moon would actually look like. ![]()
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