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Last updated on Monday, November 25, 2013
(UNDATED) - An authenticated letter from Mercury Astronaut Virgil Grissom he wrote to his parents in 1961 sold for $13,155.
The auction, conducted by RR Auctions, garnered 29 bids. Starting at $1,000, the bids grew slowly but bids became more frequent, pushing the final bid to $13,155.
Grissom wrote to his parents that John Glenn had been chosen for the first orbital flight around the Earth and that all of the other astronauts were upset that he was chosen. Grissom further told his parents that he was to be controller for the second orbital flight with Deke Slayton chosen as the commander.
The hand-written letter on Project Mercury letterhead also talks of plans for the Apollo program. Grissom said the family would be moving to Houston soon, probably at the end of the school year, unless the house sells quickly.
A similar letter written by Alan Shepherd to his mom garnered $106,000.
The letter was provided to the auction house by Grissom's brother, Lowell, and contained hand written notes at the bottom, believed to have been written by his mother about the Glenn flight.
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