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buzz-aldrins-toothbrush
How much would you pay for another man's toothbrush, if that toothbrush happened to have gone to the moon? The auction house estimates someone might throw as much as $24,000 at this unique opportunity to own a piece of space history.
If you think that's too much to pay for something that has been in Buzz Aldrin's mouth, you're probably not going to be interested in paying even more for something that's been in his ear. The opening bid on Aldrin's earpiece that he wore on the lunar surface is $12,500 and the estimate ranges up to $35,000.
Heritage Auctions has plenty of other weird space items for you to choose from in their space memorabilia auction that ends April 18. You can bid on space food including Apollo 17 brownies, Apollo astronaut Richard Gordon's comb, a chart used to land the lunar module on the surface, and Neil Armstrong's childhood toy plane. Here are some of our favorite items on the block.
Images and captions: Heritage Auctions
Above:
Buzz Aldrin's Toothbrush
Estimated value: $18,000 - $24,000 Description: Apollo 11 Lunar Module Flown Toothbrush and Sleeve Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin, with Signed LOA. A light blue Lactona S-19 model "Tooth Tip" toothbrush, 6.5" long. Included also is the original 8" x 1.5" plastic pouch in which it flew with a piece of Velcro on the back for ease of storage. Used throughout the mission, including in the Lunar Module Eagle while on the moon. Copies of two pages from the Apollo Operations Handbook showing information on the contents of the Oral Hygiene Set are included. The very point of the rubber tip has broken off but is present in the case. Signs of use, otherwise very fine condition. From the Steven R. Belasco Collection of Space Memorabilia. Included with this lot is a signed Letter of Authenticity on his personal letterhead stating, in full: "The toothbrush and plastic sleeve displayed below flew to the Moon during July 16 to 24, 1969 on the Apollo 11 mission. I was Lunar Module Pilot with Michael Collins as Command Module Pilot and Neil Armstrong as Commander of the mission. Neil and I made the first lunar landing of the Apollo Program on July 20, 1969. The toothbrush was part of the Oral Hygiene Set stored in Command Module Columbia prior to launch on July 16. The toothbrush was model S-19 made by Lactona. The blue velcro tab on the storage sleeve was my individual designator color for personal flight equipment. I used this toothbrush while in Columbia and then transferred it into Lunar Module Eagle prior to the lunar landing. It is one of only two toothbrushes taken to the lunar surface during the first Moon landing. I continued to use it during our journey home to Earth after leaving the Moon." Online listing.Images and captions: Heritage Auctions
