TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A jacket made for Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 training has drawn a $53,000 pre-bid ahead of an online charity auction Saturday.
The white in-flight-coverall jacket is part of a two-piece suit custom-made for Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon. The American Space Museum said Armstrong wore the coveralls during Earth-based training for the historic 1969 mission.
The jacket’s opening bid was $50,000. Auction organizers estimate it could ultimately sell for between $800,000 and $1.2 million.
A matching pair of Armstrong’s training trousers is being sold separately. The trousers opened at $10,000 and are expected to bring between $50,000 and $75,000.
The jacket and trousers came from two different sellers who independently consigned them to Bid Again Auctions within the same week.
“To have both pieces show up as independent consignments in a one-week span is beyond comprehension,” auctioneer Chuck Jeffrey said.
The items will headline the American Space Museum’s 45th Charity Space Memorabilia Auction, which includes nearly 400 lots.
The online-only auction begins at noon Saturday. Proceeds will support the Titusville museum’s educational programs and artifact-preservation efforts.
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