Buzz Aldrin's Felt-Tip Pen That Saved Apollo 11 Mission Sells for $857,600

A humble felt-tip pen used by Buzz Aldrin to save the Apollo 11 astronauts from being stranded on the moon sold for $857,600 at a Sotheby's auction in New York. The pen, a brushed aluminum Duro “Rocket” model, was used to activate a broken circuit breaker switch on the lunar module Eagle, enabling the engine arm to fire for liftoff from the lunar surface. The winning bidder also received the broken circuit breaker switch. The artifacts were consigned by Aldrin, now 96, who provided a provenance letter detailing the incident. After the moonwalk, Aldrin noticed the switch was broken; he used the pen to push the breaker back in, avoiding electrocution. NASA later fitted guards over circuit breakers on subsequent lunar modules. The pen and switch had been exhibited at the Seattle Air & Space Museum and the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Aldrin had attempted to auction the items in 2022 but they failed to sell. The recent Sotheby's sale also included other items from Aldrin's collection, such as a New Jersey state flag flown to the moon, his West Point cadet portrait, term papers, a Buzz Lightyear figurine from Toy Story director John Lasseter, and two dozen wristwatches. Aldrin legally changed his name from Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. in 1988, after his sister's pronunciation of "brother" as "buzzer."