Yuri Gagarin PSA NM-MT 8 SP Dated Less Than a Month Before Lt. Col. Promotion

A vintage black and white photograph of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), wearing a Soviet Air Force uniform without a cap. Gagarin's tunic bristles with medals, like the Soviet Air Force Pilot Wings, and the hexagonal Pilot-Cosmonaut of the U.S.S.R., and he would be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Soviet Air Force less than a month after autographing this photo. Gagarin has signed, dated, and inscribed the photo in Russian Cyrillic along the bottom edge outside the image field. Untranslated, but the date is evident as "11.10.63," or October 11, 1963, and the place appears to be Moscow, Soviet Union. Encapsulated and PSA/DNA certified and graded NM-MT 8. Isolated blunting to a few corners, and minor discoloration from former scrapbook album mounting verso, else near fine. The photo measures 3.75" x 5.75" while the slab measures 6.625" x 10.125."

The autumn of 1963 was an eventful period in Gagarin's short life. In early October 1963, Gagarin began his journey westward from the Soviet Union in order to attend the 56th International Aviation Federation Conference in Mexico City, Mexico; there, Gagarin was joined by "cosmonette" Valentina Tereshkova (born 1937). Less than two weeks later, on October 21, 1963, Gagarin and Tereshkova were awarded the Order of Karl Marx by East German officials. On November 2, 1963, Gagarin attended the wedding of Tereshkova and fellow Cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev (1929-2004). Gagarin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Soviet Air Force just three weeks after signing this photograph, on November 6, 1963.

Yuri Gagarin was the first human to travel to outer space. The trained air force pilot and officer was handpicked in 1960 to test into the new Soviet space program, later becoming one of the program’s top candidates, called the Sochi 6. Gagarin’s psychological and physical endurance, as well as his small statue (5’2”), made him an ideal candidate for future space missions. Gagarin broke records when he successfully manned the Vostok I space capsule into outer space on April 12, 1961. He made a full orbit around Earth lasting 108 minutes before parachuting into the atmosphere at 23,000 feet. Gagarin was killed in a routine training mission at age 34.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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