An unusal collectiible, created for the 25th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest by the Franklin Mint. Ed Hillary and I spoke about this item several times when we met in the 1990s and 2000s. He told me he and Tenzing signed several thousand of these in a hotel room in Chicago in 1978. I think the memory was not a pleasant one for him! But it did leave us with a legacy of perhaps the only items that Hillary and Tenzing ever signed at the same time and place, and that is positively authentic. This is a 25 Year Mt Everest Hillary Tenzing & Silver Medal. 1953 - 1978 - 25th Anniversary of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, includes commemorative coin and SIGNED First Day Cover, with certificate of authenticity, dated June 1 1978. The Cover is signed by Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing signed these in Chicago in 1978. Hillary and myself (Michael Chessler) discussed this event several times in the last 20 years, while he was autographing other items for our bookshop. With two commemorative postage stamps issued by the Kingdom of Nepal. The cover has been postmarked at Namche Bazar, the post office serving Thyangboche, site of the base camp of the original mission. The cancellation for the stamps is May 29, 1978. Commemoration of the 25th anniversay of conquest of Mount Everest includes commemoration Coin & First Day Cover, plus an accounting of the two intrepid climbers adventure. The Cover and Medal comes in it's own protective wallet which is embossed on the front 'The 25th Anniversary of the First Ascent of Mount Everest Commemorative.' All in superb condition.
The Cover is signed by Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing signed these in Chicago in 1978. Hillary and myself (Michael Chessler) discussed this event several times in the last 20 years, while he was autographing other items for our bookshop. With two commemorative postage stamps issued by the Kingdom of Nepal. The cover has been postmarked at Namche Bazar, the post office serving Thyangboche, site of the base camp of the original mission. The cancellation for the stamps is May 29, 1978. Commemoration of the 25th anniversay of conquest of Mount Everest includes commemoration Coin & First Day Cover, plus an accounting of the two intrepid climbers adventure. The Cover and Medal comes in it's own protective wallet which is embossed on the front 'The 25th Anniversary of the First Ascent of Mount Everest Commemorative.' All in superb condition.
Commemoration of the 25th anniversay of conquest of Mount Everest includes commemoration Coin & First Day Cover, plus an accounting of the two intrepid climbers adventure.
The Cover and Medal comes in it's own protective wallet which is embossed on the front 'The 25th Anniversary of the First Ascent of Mount Everest Commemorative.' All in superb condition.
