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Apollo 13 Flown MS68 NGC Silver Robbins Medallion Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Lunar Module Pilot Fred H...
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Description
NGC-Certified "Ex. Fred Haise"
Apollo 13 Flown MS68 NGC Silver Robbins Medallion Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise, Serial Number 227, with Signed LOA. A 32mm sterling silver medal in its original Robbins Company plastic box of issue with the "227" sticker on the bottom. Due to the last minute crew change and the problems that prohibited Apollo 13 from accomplishing its mission, all of the original flown medallions were melted down. This is one of 404 newly designed sterling silver medallions were struck from the flown metal. The design features the mission insignia depicting the name of the mission, three of Apollo's chariot horses flying toward the Moon, and the slogan "Ex Luna, Scientia" ("from the moon, knowledge"). The reverse features the names of the crewmembers, the modules, Aquarius (lunar) and Odyssey (command), the engraved dates of launch and return, the serial number, and the sterling and Robbins hallmarks. Robbins medallions from the collections of crewmembers of the particular flight are quite desirable to collectors. A wonderful Superb Gem Uncirculated example.Included with this lot is an informative letter of authenticity signed "Fred W. Haise" on his personal letterhead, stating: "Accompanying this letter is a Robbins sterling silver medallion that was flown on the flight of Apollo 13 during April 1970. The launch date of 'April 11, 1970' and our return date of "April 17, 1970" are engraved on the reverse side. It is serial number 227 of the Robbins series for Apollo 13. We as a crew had the initial crew emblem idea of the mythical god Apollo driving his horse drawn chariot across the sky dragging the sun with him. We passed this idea to artist Lumen Winter who created the emblem of three horses traveling from the earth, symbolizing the three astronauts of an Apollo mission. He placed the horses above the moon with the sun in the background. It is interesting to note that this design resembles a painting he did for the St. Regis Hotel in New York City which featured three horses racing across a cloud-filled sky, with a fourth horse falling behind. It is a bit ironic about that fourth horse, because just a few days before our launch, Command Module Pilot Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly had to be replaced by Jack Swigert due to a potential illness. That substitution dictated a return of the flown medallions to Robbins for melting and a restrike with a corrected die having the valid crew names on the back. Additionally, since we did not make a lunar landing, only two engraving blanks were placed on the reverse side for the launch and return dates. I hereby certify that this Robbins medallion with serial number 227 is one of the genuine revised medallions made from the original flown metal. It has been in my personal space artifact collection since 1970 which is now 35 years after the dramatic flight of Apollo 13. The flight was scheduled to be the third manned lunar landing mission, but those plans were aborted due to an oxygen tank explosion in our Service Module."
Auction Info
2012 May 12 Space Exploration Signature Auction - Dallas #6087 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
May, 2012
12th
Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 7
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 2,256
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid per lot.
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