NASA sold moon landing footage to an intern for $218. Now, the tapes could sell for millions

NASA sold moon landing footage to an intern for $218 in 1976. Now, the tapes could be worth millions

In 1976, the space agency unknowingly sold those tapes of original footage from the Apollo 11 lunar mission to a lucky intern who held onto them for decades. He never even knew their contents. Now, NASA's blunder will belong to the highest bidder: the three surviving videotapes of the seminal moment in space exploration are up for auction--at a starting bid of $700,000. According to Sotheby's, the tapes are worth up to $2 million.

The tapes were sold by accident to NASA intern Gary George in 1976, who purchased the set unknowingly among 65 boxes of videotapes at a government surplus auction for $217.77. He resold most of the tapes to local TV stations for a profit but held onto three of them labeled"APOLLO 11 EVA | July 20, 1969 REEL 1 [-3]" at his father's suggestion, according to Soethby's.

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