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A miniature Soviet flag that traveled to the Moon during the historic Apollo 11 mission in 1969 has sold at a Sotheby's auction for $80,000. The final sale price was nearly eight times higher than the pre-sale estimate.

Measuring approximately 4 by 6 inches (10 × 15 cm), the flag was part of Buzz Aldrin's personal preference kit and traveled aboard the Columbia command module during humanity's first lunar mission.

The buyer also received a signed letter from Aldrin confirming the flag's provenance.

According to Sotheby's, Aldrin brought the Soviet flag as a symbolic gesture of goodwill, emphasizing that the Moon landing represented an achievement for all humanity, not just the United States.

At the time, NASA had a tradition of carrying miniature flags from various countries on its space missions, including nations considered geopolitical rivals of the U.S. Alongside the American flag, Aldrin's personal kit also included the flags of Texas, New Jersey, and the Soviet Union.

Auction experts had originally valued the historic artifact at $7,000 to $10,000, but intense bidding from collectors drove the final price to a record $80,000

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