posted 05-14-2006 11:32 PM               

Collecting the Robbins Medallions

Written as a continuation and compliment to his first book on the subject (The Robbins Medallions, Flown Treasure from the Apollo Space Program), Howard C. Weinberger's Collecting the Robbins Medallions provides images of all medallions issued after Apollo, including Skylab, ASTP, STS, ISS and "a finding of Long-Duration Space Flight medals", as well as population data, how many were flown, crew members and mission dates.

Weinberger writes, "most importantly, I have endeavored to get NGC, the third party numismatic grading and authentication service, to begin encapsulating the medals. I have a chapter on this alone. I believe this will address the restriking issue head-on, as well as a few other [concerns]."

Collecting also provides an update section for the Apollo medals, and additional anecdotes and history that was not included in the first book, including how Weinberger came to understand the history of the Robbins. Other topics include: Care and Display, Valuation Qualifiers, Investor Recommended Medals, Disposition of the Dies, The Robbins Medal process, and more.

The 72 page, 8 1/2 x 11 format, soft cover will be available for $39.95 plus $5 shipping. Pre-orders can be sent to:

Asset Alternatives, Inc.
PO BOX 544
Birmingham, Michigan 48012-0544

posted 05-18-2006 08:15 AM               

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Originally posted by 4allmankind:
Was getting NGC involved in the Robbins hobby designed to grade the actual condition of the medallions, or distinguish the restrikes from the originals?

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The ability of NGC to track the population status of individual medals required that a grade be assigned. It was strictly a logistics issue. I do not believe, at this point, that space collectors really care much about a grade. I know I don't. However, I believe collectors do care about condition. Scratched, dented, improperly cleaned, or otherwise unsightly medals do exist.

There are many aspects to the benefits of NGC authentication which I attempt to touch on in better detail in the book.

Restriking is one of them. Provenance, authentication, storage and display are others.

Once collectors see the medals in NGC holders I think they will agree that they look great.

Display has always been an issue for me. The NGC holders bring uniformity to the medals. All the holders are the same size, you can view both obverse and reverse, identification, including serial number and provenance also appear.

Not everyone spends the time to become an expert. If there are ever questions about authenticity, restrikes, etc., I believe that many who may have become interested will be scared away.

posted 05-18-2006 09:04 PM               

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Originally posted by zee_aladdin:
Do you address 'Fliteline' Medallions in your book? These were flown medallions from the pre-apollo era.

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posted 05-18-2006 10:11 PM               

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Originally posted by Dennis Beatty:
Might it be possible to see an image of a medallion which has been mounted in one of the holders?

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posted 05-19-2006 11:22 AM               

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Originally posted by 4allmankind:
Based on your reply and the photo above, do you have any concerns that the encapsulation of the medallions forever "seperates" the medal from its original snap case?

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posted 06-05-2006 09:19 AM               

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Originally posted by 4allmankind:
Does anyone know if these books have began shipping yet?

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posted 08-07-2006 08:48 AM               

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Originally posted by 4allmankind:
I was just wondering if anyone has had their medallions (flown or unflown) encapsulated? If so, can you comment on the quality, service, cost, and outcome?

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I charge $75 per medal plus the return postage fee for USPS Registered and Insured mail if you want me to handle all details with the submission. The fee includes all the paperwork filing, attribution, submission to NGC and encapsulation. You are required to send the medals to me with copies of any provenance letters via USPS Registered and Insured mail.

posted 02-20-2007 08:29 AM               

Since the release of the second book, a few discrepancies have emerged about the total population numbers for the unflown silver Robbins Medals from Skylab III, Skylab IV and STS 30. It is my intention to keep the collecting community aware of new and relevant information as it is discovered.

SKYLAB III and SKYLAB IV

The data for the Robbins Medals population numbers and which were flown for the Skylab and ASTP missions was obtained from a Robbins Company memo from George Ryan, the liaison between Robbins and the Astronaut Flight Office.

The memo stated there were 300 silver medals struck for Skylab II, 159 for Skylab III and 190 for Skylab IV, and 283 from ASTP.

Since the publication of the second book, I have come across information that confirms the existence of Skylab III medals #201 and #290. And just recently, I have been made aware of the existence of Skylab IV medals also numbered above the 190 reported.

I have discussed the matter with Chris Sweet, my contact from the Robbins Company. We have looked for anything that may have been overlooked and no further evidence is available, and the people involved who may have been able to shed better light are no longer living. The best we can determine at this time is that the total population numbers for Skylab III and Skylab IV were incorrectly reported in Mr. Ryan's memo. We speculate that the true populations of silver medals for these two missions would likely equal the same 300 medals that were struck for Skylab II.

In another letter from 1993 to the wife of an astronaut from the Astronaut Flight Office, the number of flown Robbins Medals advised is the same number as the original George Ryan memo from years earlier. This letter provides comfort that the number of flown medals is still accurate, which I consider the most important data.

STS-30

There are two corrections regarding the medals for STS 30. The first is an honest typo regarding the unflown silver medals. The book reports that there were 65 unflown silver medals numbered 49-113. The correct number should have read 68 unflown silver medals numbered 49-116.