Description:

Mercury 7
Grand Turks Islands, February 20, 1962
Mercury 7 Full Crew Signed after Splashdown of 1st Orbital Flight, The Dawn of the American Space Age, Also Signed by Recovery Team, Unique!
Envelope/First Day Cover

Exceptionally unique and one of a kind signed Mercury 7 first day cover, commemorating the historic Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, which saw astronaut John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth on February 20, 1962. The cover is postmarked Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, where Glenn was taken after his splashdown and features a full set of Turks and Caicos Islands stamps, including a £1 denomination, all canceled on February 20, 1962. The cover is signed by all members of the Mercury 7 and multiple members of NASA's Mercury 7 program and support crew, all who played crucial roles in the mission. Accompanied by a full LOA from Zarelli Space Authentication. The cover measures 9.25" x 11.5."

This is the most distinctive Mercury 7 related item we've ever handled at University Archives, uniquely bridging multiple collecting categories—autographs, space history, and philately. In the stamp world this is a valuable cover, another of which does not exist. It is worthy of inclusion in a world class aviation exhibit. To put the rarity of Mercury 7 artifacts such as this in context, a blue number NASA photo, from this same flight, that was not signed, brought over $30,000 in Christie's in 2020.

The cover is signed by The Mercury 7 and medical personal including:

John Glenn – The first American to orbit Earth on Mercury-Atlas 6 (Friendship 7) in 1962, Glenn became a national hero and later returned to space in 1998 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, becoming the oldest person to fly in space.

Alan Shepard – The first American in space aboard Mercury-Redstone 3 (Freedom 7) in 1961, Shepard later commanded Apollo 14 and became the fifth person to walk on the Moon, famously hitting a golf ball on the lunar surface.

Gus Grissom – The second American in space on Mercury-Redstone 4 (Liberty Bell 7), Grissom also commanded Gemini 3, the first crewed Gemini mission, and was chosen to command Apollo 1, tragically perishing in the 1967 launch pad fire.

Scott Carpenter – The second American to orbit Earth on Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7) in 1962, Carpenter later became an aquanaut for NASA's SEALAB underwater research project, exploring the effects of extended human habitation in extreme environments.

Wally Schirra – The only astronaut to fly in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, Schirra piloted Mercury-Atlas 8 (Sigma 7), commanded Gemini 6A, and flew on Apollo 7, the first crewed Apollo mission.

Deke Slayton – Originally grounded due to a medical condition, Slayton played a crucial role as NASA's Director of Flight Crew Operations, selecting astronaut crews for Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab before finally flying on Apollo-Soyuz in 1975.

Gordon Cooper – Piloted Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7) in 1963, becoming the first American to sleep in space and setting the record for the longest Mercury flight; he later commanded Gemini 5, proving astronauts could endure space missions long enough to reach the Moon.

Support Team and Medical Personnel Who Signed This Cover:

John "Shorty" Powers – Known as the "Voice of Mercury Control," Powers was NASA's Public Affairs Officer, responsible for relaying mission details to the press and public. He provided real-time updates on Mercury-Atlas 6 and helped shape public perception of the mission.

Elmer H. Buller - Born in Detroit, he graduated as a mechanical engineer from Wayne University in 1939 and served in World War II as a Naval Reserve officer, retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1961. He was among the first 50 employees at NASA, serving as the project range representative for Project Mercury, later retiring from Federal Civil Service in 1973.

Additionally signed by five Mercury support staff members who assisted in the operation at Grand Turk Island.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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#spaceastronaut

  • Provenance: LOA from Zarelli Space Authentication.
  • Dimensions: 9.25" x 11.5"
  • Medium: Envelope/First Day Cover

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April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
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University Archives

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$2,000 $2,999 $200
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$5,000 $9,999 $500
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$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000