|
Author
|
Topic: Apollo 11 medallion minted with flown die
|
Jason Katz
New Member Posts: 1
From: Wilsonville
Registered: Jul 2009
|
posted 07-29-2009 10:10 AM
   
I have this medallion from 40 years ago - my grandfather gave it to me - he had worked for Grumman and had received it at some point. It says on the back: The die for this medallion was carried to the moon and back by the crew of Apollo 11 in July, 1969. It also has three signatures/names on the back of three astronauts (Armstrong, Collins, Aldrin).On the front it has the big 'A' for Apollo and it says Apollo/NASA and then around its edges: Lunar Landing, July 1969. Does anyone know if this is anything significant? Always wondered... |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 07-29-2009 10:10 AM
Based on your description, I believe your medallion is the same as pictured below: If so, Swann Galleries sold one such example at auction in April 2008 for $1,200. That particular medallion however, was from astronaut Thomas Stafford's collection and included the typed letter that originally accompanied it signed by flight director Chris Kraft. Dated July 30, 1970, the letter in part read: On the Apollo 11 mission a special die was flown for later use in fabricating a commemorative medallion to be distributed to those individuals who made a significant contribution to the success of the Apollo Program. |
JTarpley
New Member Posts: 7
From: Dickinson, Texas, U.S.
Registered: Aug 2011
|
posted 08-14-2011 03:47 PM
I would like to share a letter and medallion from my mother's collection. I am curious if there were only 1,000 of these given out as she had indicated on the bottom of the letter.  
Editor's note: Threads merged. |
george9785
Member Posts: 196
From: Burnaby, BC, Canada
Registered: Nov 2010
|
posted 08-16-2011 11:23 PM
It's great that your mother kept that letter with the notation since I don't believe anyone here has seen anything previously that provided some evidence as to the mintage of this medallion. I believe many will also give the notation more credibility as evidence because of the further breakdown for the JSC.While it's not conclusive since there may not be anything else currently available here to provide supporting evidence, I for one would be inclined to give the numbers credence barring any new information that contradicts it. If the die wasn't destroyed however, and it was still useable, there's also the possibility that a subsequent decision might have been made to do a restrike to produce more than was originally intended. That's probably not too likely to have occurred but if it did, it would certainly throw off the numbers. One was just sold on eBay about two weeks ago for $327 (without any paperwork). Since sales for these medallions are sparse, knowledge or even assumptions of a mintage of 1,000 may help with people putting more consistent valuations on them. |
rjurek349
Member Posts: 1215
From: Northwest Indiana
Registered: Jan 2002
|
posted 08-16-2011 11:25 PM
...and having your letter of transmital/provenance from Max Faget is just such a wonderful, added bonus! Thanks for sharing. |
JTarpley
New Member Posts: 7
From: Dickinson, Texas, U.S.
Registered: Aug 2011
|
posted 08-17-2011 12:07 PM
Thanks for the information. My mother was Max Faget's secretary for many years. She was meticulous in archiving documentation so I am inclined to believe the numbers she wrote on the bottom of the letter. |
george9785
Member Posts: 196
From: Burnaby, BC, Canada
Registered: Nov 2010
|
posted 08-17-2011 03:10 PM
I'm just noticing that the Apollo moon face on this medallion is rather distinct from others typically seen on the Apollo program insignia. I'm wondering whether the designer had intended for it to resemble someone in particular rather than the Greek god. It might pass off as a JFK but maybe there was someone else intended. |
tnperri
Member Posts: 492
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
|
posted 08-20-2011 07:34 AM
Do you know who minted these or issued them? |
george9785
Member Posts: 196
From: Burnaby, BC, Canada
Registered: Nov 2010
|
posted 08-20-2011 10:31 AM
I guess you could say NASA issued them but unless someone posts here who does know, the company that minted them is apparently unknown. The consignor of negatives of the original artwork and proof stamping for the Apollo 11 flown die (to be auctioned off next month by RR) may have some knowledge however.
|
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 08-20-2011 10:52 AM
The consignor appears to be David Worrow, who has been selling off his collection via RR. Here are the items on his website: proof stamp and original artwork. Separately, another example of an accompanying letter for these medals was sold by Heritage Auction Galleries in June. That letter, signed by Kennedy Space Center Director Kurt H. Debus, was presented to Richard Proffitt, Launch Complex 39 operations manager from 1969 to 1976. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 04-22-2012 06:22 PM
George (george9785) came across this presentation, offered on eBay, which seems to confirm the striking was limited to 1,000. The presentation was purchased at an estate sale in Houston. |
TRS
Member Posts: 727
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003
|
posted 05-06-2012 07:27 PM
I'm interested that the presentation above uses 'front' rather than 'obverse' suggesting this is not an official presentation. |
streetsnake
Member Posts: 182
From: Ohio
Registered: Oct 2012
|
posted 11-05-2012 07:26 PM
I am brand new here but I provide a history of my collection here. Rita has one in her collection. I have been searching for the letter that may have accompanied it but to no avail, Yet!  There is a ton of stuff to go through.  
|
billrocks
New Member Posts: 1
From: alvin
Registered: May 2012
|
posted 08-05-2013 09:39 AM
I have one of those as well, they were made of stainless, anti mag. I got the one I have in 1972 or 1973. |
tnperri
Member Posts: 492
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
|
posted 08-05-2013 09:51 AM
Additional information:A heavy and impressive 64mm stainless steel medallion. On the obverse is the Apollo Program logo and the text: "Lunar Landing/ Apollo/ NASA/ July 1969". On the reverse are the facsimile signatures of the crew and the statement: "The Die for this Medallion was Carried to the Moon and Back by the Crew of Apollo 11 in 1969." A limited number of stainless steel medallions were made in commemoration of the first lunar landing mission. A special die was flown on Apollo 11 and was then utilized to fabricate the medallions. |
denali414
Member Posts: 781
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017
|
posted 06-30-2018 03:10 PM
Finally won one of these medallions at the American Space Auction today. One of the few left needed. Made my day! |
David C
Member Posts: 1276
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
|
posted 06-30-2018 06:08 PM
These are interesting and I understand the attraction for the "completionist" medalion collector. But for the rest of us, though, at what point do you say: - "These weren't flown to the moon,"
- "These aren't made of flown material,"
- "Actually all these have done is touched something that flew to the moon" (and most of us here have done that).
Just sayin,' where does it end? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 06-30-2018 07:06 PM
Flown status is not the only quality that makes something collectible.NASA flew the die to mint these, of which only 1,000 exist. Compare that to the Manned Flight Awareness medals, which were minted with a symbolic amount of flown metal but are 200,000 in number. Production runs aside, there aren't that many types of official NASA mementos of the first moon landing. This is one. |
tnperri
Member Posts: 492
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
|
posted 06-30-2018 08:25 PM
This is a rare collectible with historical meaning. Whether it actually is flown in space means little. Its the value to the collector. |
denali414
Member Posts: 781
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Aug 2017
|
posted 07-01-2018 11:40 AM
I'd also add that this medallion wasn't sold commercially and NASA only gave it out for "significant contributions to Apollo mission" making it in my opinion more valuable and something valuable to collect. On the Apollo 11 mission a special die was flown for later use in fabricating a commemorative medallion to be distributed to those individuals who made a significant contribution to the success of the Apollo Program. |
JBoe
Member Posts: 991
From: Edgewater, MD
Registered: Oct 2012
|
posted 07-01-2018 12:10 PM
I think it was a great, affordable acquisition. The fact that the medallion/die maintains the logo established by NASA and Boeing for their bronze, nickel (silver toned) medallion for each Apollo mission bears the consistency in design. This design has been used for the Apollo 30th anniversary medallions (bronze, aluminum, and silver) that contained Apollo era material and even up until recently the colorized medallions that are sold in NASA gift shops also show that consistency and NASA/Boeing approved design for "official commemoratives."However it doesn't establish whom and the level of recipient, because the Boeing Roll of Honor medallions were distributed to workers on the Saturn V project that bears the eagle and Saturn V. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 07-01-2018 12:28 PM
I don't believe there was any effort to be consistent across medallions. That the same logo was used is a result of it being the Apollo Program logo; it was created by NASA and was not medallion specific.If there is a document or other resource that states otherwise, I would be happy to be corrected. |
MartinAir
Member Posts: 71
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
|
posted 04-12-2021 02:30 PM
Not a native speaker. By the flown die is meant a flown aluminium/SS die which was used for minting in order to add flown metal to the medallion or a die (a mold) used only for minting and the medallion does not contain any flown metal at all? Thank you. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 46513
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 04-12-2021 07:07 PM
The latter; the only flown material possibly imparted to the medallions was the microscopic wear and tear from the die striking the blanks (and no one is making a claim that any did). |
MartinAir
Member Posts: 71
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
|
posted 06-28-2021 11:37 AM
Was the die carried to the lunar surface in a Personal Preference Kit? |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3251
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
|
posted 06-28-2021 12:49 PM
It may appear that both JSC and KSC centers provided the medallions to only NASA civil service employees, but what about NASA HQS in Washington, D.C., along with other nationwide NASA field center installations such as Marshall, Goddard, and Lewis (now Glenn)?I also don't recall seeing any of them awarded to a NASA or military aerospace contractor worker. |
MartinAir
Member Posts: 71
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
|
posted 06-28-2021 05:50 PM
Ken, I obtained one and according to the included paperwork, it was issued to the NAA Rockwell VP? Robert Field. Also heard about an etched? replica of the original "flown die" medallion, supposedly distributed among Grumman employees. I asked one Grumman LM engineer and he confirmed he still has one. Not sure if it's original or replica though. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3251
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
|
posted 06-28-2021 06:01 PM
Thanks for the update info. As you have pointed out, apparently others were awarded to non-NASA employees. But were those given to top management or high-ranking folks like for the VP of NAA and what was the title of the Grumman LM engineer? |
MartinAir
Member Posts: 71
From:
Registered: Oct 2020
|
posted 06-28-2021 06:28 PM
I'm not sure. Seems like there's a consensus that about 1000 original medallions were struck. I'd like to find out more about that Grumman replica. If it's real or not. The LM engineer worked in thermal equipment design and did mission, component and MESA analysis across the timeline: liftoff to ascent. |
advertisement