Neil Armstrong medal from Apollo 11 mission sells for $2M

July 17 (UPI) -- A gold medal carried by NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong during the Apollo 11 moon mission sold for more than $2 million on Wednesday.

The medal -- one of only three minted for the mission's crewmembers including Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin -- sold for $2,055,000 as part of the Armstrong Family Collection by Dallas-based auction house Heritage Auctions.

The 28mm solid gold Robbins Medal features the dates of the mission and the surnames of the crew etched on the back while the front features Collins' early design for the Apollo 11 mission insignia -- an eagle carrying an olive branch in its mouth.

"NASA thought the sharp, open talons of the eagle looked too 'warlike' and the olive branch, representing peace, was moved to the claws," the auction house stated. "This is one of, if not the only, major official items that renders the insignia as it was meant to be by the astronaut designer."

Pre-sale estimates indicated the medal was expected to sell for $100,000, a fraction of its actual final selling price.

The Armstrong Family Collection included multiple items related to Armstrong's life and his career at NASA including his childhood teddy bear, which sold for $3,500, and his copy of NASA's preliminary Apollo 11 flight plan, which sold for $112,500.