July 16, 1969

"What a historic item...
something for a museum...
unique & historic"

Bob M

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July 16, 1969

On the morning of July 16, 1969 Neil Armstrong wrote this check.

The Apollo 11 crew was awoken shortly after 4:00am and would find themselves on their way to the Moon only a few short hours later. The morning's activities were filled with showering, eating breakfast, undergoing medical examinations, putting on their spacesuits, saying their goodbyes, and making the trip out to the launch pad and up the elevator to the top of the thirty story tall craft that would take them to the Moon where they would make mankind's first landing on another world.

Neil Armstrong had previously borrowed $10.50 from Harold Collins, the former NASA Chief of Mission Support, and then repaid the loan on launch day as a ritual of good luck. Upon presenting the check to Collins, Armstrong told him "Here's a check for the loan... but don't cash it because I WILL be coming back!"

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"This signed bank draft by Armstrong, in my opinion, is quite historic
in a number of ways... this is the only Armstrong check I know of that
pertains to his Apollo era-career as a NASA astronaut; and on top of that,
it was written in Neil's hand at crew quarters as he was preparing to
command the first manned lunar landing mission in July 1969. For those
who collect bank drafts, you can't ask for a better one--and from NA
himself--on such a historic occasion; the first human exploration of
another world!"

Ken H

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"The mystique of this piece is the fact that this check might
very well be the last time Neil signed his name before the
launch and moonwalk. There is no denying history, this is
a museum quality item because of that fact. His stomach
must have been churning when executing that signature.
Insurance covers were signed weeks before launch, this was
signed hours- you can't tell me Neil wasn't a bit "distracted"
when filling this check out."

Jason R

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"After all these years, little impresses me in this darn hobby anymore (much depresses me), but this Armstrong/July 16, 1969-dated check leaves me with my mouth agape."

Bob M.

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"there aren't that many truly unique Neil Armstrong
items. Everybody chases for those signed lithos of
Neil even though there must be hundreds if not
thousands of them. This artifact stands out among the
crowd. A true one of a kind.

This check is the only check that I've ever seen by
Neil Armstrong... why is that? That alone makes it
unique.

This check has a BEAUTIFUL signature on it, don't you
think? The middle intitial is something that is not
often seen, and when it is it's only on important items.
This is also one Armstrong autograph that I don't have
to ask anyone if it was authentic... it just screams
the REAL THING.

This check also has a great story behind it... which I
wish I knew in better clarity... but it was part of
some kind of ritual of good luck before the mission.

But, of course the greatest thing about it is that it
was written and dated on Launch Day. How in the world
did that fit in in the few busy hours before launch?"

Noah

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Neil's checkbook

Here we see the Apollo 11 crew, along with Bill Anders and Deke Slayton, having breakfast before the launch. Notice what's on the table in front of Neil Armstrong.

Let's zoom in for a better look...


And closer still... it appears to be a checkbook/wallet combination that was very poplar at the time. And probably the source of the "Launch Day Good Luck Check."





Neil Armstrong is remembered for being the first man on the Moon. Unfortunately, there were few photographs taken of him on the Moon. That's because Neil was busy with the only camera, taking many of the greatest photos on the Moon!

Moon Manifest

This is a copy of the Customs declaration that the Apollo 11 astranauts filled out upon their return from the Moon. This document, the plaque that was left on the Moon, and the check above are the only three examples that I am aware of that Neil Armstrong included his middle initial.

Neil on the Moon

Moon plaque

This limited edition replica Apollo 11 Moon Plaque is made from high-grade 1/16" 'rolled' stainless steel, the same material used to fabricate the original Moon plaque. The original Apollo 11 Moon Plaque is still on the Moon, attached to the ladder of the descent stage of the lunar module "Eagle". This replica is the same size as the original 9" x 7 5/8", and has been "rolled" to conform to the curvature of the landing gear strut where it was attached. The Eagles plaque is located between the third and fourth rungs of the ladder, and is attached by four stainless steel straps.

The Conrad Check

The tradition continued with Apollo 12...

The Conrad check is part of the Raab Collection... per their listing...

Harold (Hal) Collins started out as Contracting Officer at NASA during the Mercury program, and went on to serve as Chief of the Mission Support Office at the Kennedy Space Center, retiring in 1973. His participation was integral to the U.S. space program and he worked closely with and came to know all of the astronauts.

When the Apollo 12 lifted off at 11:22 AM on November 14, 1969, Collins was in attendence. Launch morning he wanted a souvenir of the take-off, and Conrad obliged by writing him this check for $10 drawn on Conrad’s personal account, dating it Nov. 14, 1969 and signing it.

On the verso Collins has written “Check written by Charles Conrad on launch morning, Nov. 14, 1969.” Only a person in Collins’ senior post would have been in a position to obtain such a unique memento at that dramatic moment.

There is no record of this "good luck" tradition being continued for the next mission... Apollo 13.

One can't help but wonder...

Thank you for viewing this selection of items from the Lunar Archive