Duke spoke with RR Auction about the mission — and how he used the scoop to his advantage.
“I had to pick up a rock that was probably the size of a watermelon, and I could not pick it up with one hand,” he said.
Duke (pictured here) has been in possession of the scoop since returning to Earth in 1972. (RR Auction / Fox News)
“So, I put the shovel down and leaned toward it, and rolled this rock up my side with my right hand and was able to roll it up my left and cradle it like a little baby.”
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He also mentioned the scoop was used to collect the “rare” sample called “Shadow Rock.”
RR Auction executive vice president Bobby Livingston told Fox News Digital that this scoop is “one of the most important items ever returned from the lunar surface.”
The scoop used on the Apollo 16 mission is now up for auction. (RR Auction / Fox News)
“That shovel not only spent all that time on the lunar surface, but it also spent time three feet inside the lunar surface — which makes it an exceptional collectible,” he noted.
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The scoop up for grabs is 13.75″ by 4.5″ by 2″ and has two large, spring-loaded buttons that enable the scoop’s head to rotate, according to RR Auction.
The tool can be spotted in many different images from the mission to the moon in 1972. (RR Auction / Fox News)
The one-of-a-kind auction item was also photographed many times throughout the three-day stay on the moon.
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The scoop has been in Duke’s possession since he returned to Earth in 1972.
It is officially up for grabs to the highest bidder — which is expected to be for over $750,000.
A shovel spoon from NASA’s Apollo 16 mission has hit the buyer’s market. (RR Auction / Fox News)
The auction officially closes on October 19.
For more information on the one-of-a-kind scoop, visit rrauction.com.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
