{"product_id":"deke-slayton-signed-nasa-mercury-7-astronaut-first-day-cover-beckett","title":"Deke Slayton Signed NASA Mercury 7 Astronaut First Day Cover BECKETT","description":"\u003cdiv vocab=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/\" typeof=\"Product\"\u003e\n\u003cspan property=\"description\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"200\" data-end=\"491\"\u003eFrom the Steve Grad Autograph Collection – Offered here is a \u003cstrong data-start=\"280\" data-end=\"308\"\u003eFirst Day of Issue cover postmarked \u003cstrong data-start=\"320\" data-end=\"352\"\u003eMarch 29, 1979 (Chanute, KS) honoring aviation pioneer \u003cstrong data-start=\"379\" data-end=\"397\"\u003eOctave Chanute, beautifully signed in \u003cstrong data-start=\"421\" data-end=\"434\"\u003eblack ink by legendary NASA astronaut \u003cstrong data-start=\"463\" data-end=\"488\"\u003eDonald “Deke” Slayton.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"493\" data-end=\"930\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"493\" data-end=\"521\"\u003eDeke Slayton (1924–1993) was one of the original \u003cstrong data-start=\"546\" data-end=\"574\"\u003eMercury Seven astronauts chosen by NASA in 1959, making him part of America’s first astronaut team. Though grounded due to a heart condition and unable to fly in the Mercury and Gemini programs, Slayton remained a critical figure in NASA history as Chief of the Astronaut Office, playing a vital role in crew assignments and mission planning throughout the 1960s Apollo program.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"932\" data-end=\"1339\"\u003eIn 1972, after being medically cleared, Slayton finally flew in space as \u003cstrong data-start=\"1005\" data-end=\"1052\"\u003eDocking Module Pilot on Apollo-Soyuz (1975), the historic first joint U.S.–Soviet space mission. His career embodied resilience, leadership, and dedication to exploration. Slayton passed away in 1993, leaving behind a legacy as both a pioneering astronaut and one of the most important behind-the-scenes figures in NASA history.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1341\" data-end=\"1843\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1341\" data-end=\"1394\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1343\" data-end=\"1394\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1343\" data-end=\"1352\"\u003eItem: Octave Chanute First Day of Issue Cover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1395\" data-end=\"1443\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1397\" data-end=\"1443\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1397\" data-end=\"1412\"\u003eDate Stamp: Chanute, KS – March 29, 1979\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1444\" data-end=\"1488\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1446\" data-end=\"1488\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1446\" data-end=\"1460\"\u003eSignature: Deke Slayton in black ink\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1489\" data-end=\"1588\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1491\" data-end=\"1588\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1491\" data-end=\"1510\"\u003eAuthentication: Encapsulated and certified authentic by \u003cstrong data-start=\"1551\" data-end=\"1586\"\u003eBeckett Authentication Services\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1589\" data-end=\"1843\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1591\" data-end=\"1843\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1591\" data-end=\"1606\"\u003eCollection: From the personal autograph collection of \u003cstrong data-start=\"1649\" data-end=\"1663\"\u003eSteve Grad, lead authenticator at Beckett Authentication, former Principal Authenticator at PSA\/DNA (2002–2016), and a regular cast member on the History Channel’s \u003cem data-start=\"1817\" data-end=\"1829\"\u003ePawn Stars\u003c\/em\u003e since 2013.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1845\" data-end=\"1872\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1845\" data-end=\"1870\"\u003eCollector Highlights:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1873\" data-end=\"2169\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1873\" data-end=\"1932\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1875\" data-end=\"1932\"\u003eSigned by one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"1933\" data-end=\"2038\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1935\" data-end=\"2038\"\u003eRare, investment-grade piece—Slayton passed in 1993, making authentic signatures highly sought after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2039\" data-end=\"2093\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2041\" data-end=\"2093\"\u003eEncapsulated for preservation and long-term value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-start=\"2094\" data-end=\"2169\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2096\" data-end=\"2169\"\u003eAn important addition for any serious NASA or space history collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"gs-garageSaleBadge\"\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/str\/iwascoding\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"GradCollection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50470808223987,"sku":"5211","price":280.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/6334\/7443\/files\/3_0294a37f-4ca0-4be7-a995-034853f26b82.jpg?v=1787125565","url":"https:\/\/gradcollection-2.myshopify.com\/products\/deke-slayton-signed-nasa-mercury-7-astronaut-first-day-cover-beckett","provider":"GradCollection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}