If NARAM Live has video of the Cannon Fund Auction, that will tell the full story, but here's the synopsis, from what I remember them saying.
Lee Piester, who founded Centuri, has for many years had a couple of hobby shops in the Phoenix area (Hobby Bench). In the stores, he has rockets hanging from the ceiling. These models are mainly Lee's own creations, inspired by the kit. The NARAM organizers asked Lee to do one of these models for the auction and that was the result. It included a certificate of authenticity and Lee's design notes. It sold for an obscene amount of money.
The consensus was that it started life as an Estes Ventris.