I Love Space Themed Coins

For those that don't know, Robbins medallions are essentially metallic (generally sterling silver) representations of the specific mission patch, with on the reverse the crew's names and mission launch and landing dates. Somewhere on the medallion, generally the reverse, the number of the medallion is etched. Apollo 7 was the first of the Robbins medallions, hence the not including some of the details mentioned in this paragraph.

Due to Dave Scott, Commander of Apollo 15, space flown coins/medallions are much harder to come from missions after Apollo 15. Scott basically did a bunch of commercial deals with various semi-savory characters... bringing covers (e.g. stamped envelopes) etc. to the Moon for money. He then did NOT list these items on his PKK list (PKK is the personal kit, e.g. souvenirs for friends etc., that astronauts are allowed to bring on missions). Scott got in hot water for this, and his promising military career was essentially over. NASA got a black eye for this, and became MUCH tighter on what it would allow to be brought on missions.

Robbins medallions were already a tradition by Apollo 15, so they continued onward, but whereas previously hundreds had flown on each Apollo mission, thereafter hundreds were still struck for each mission, but the vast majority were unflown. For example on Apollo 16 300 were minted and 98 were flown, while for Apollo 17 300 were minted and 80 were flown. In all such cases, the earliest minted, e.g. numbering 1 - 80 for Apollo 17, were the ones flown. Oftentimes an F is stamped in the rim of the medallion to further signify the flown status.

Flown Shuttle and ISS medallions are MUCH rarer per mission, oftentimes well below 25. On the flip side, since there are so many Shuttle missions, 135, and so many ISS missions, currently at 65 and counting, there are very few collectors trying to put together these sets.

 

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They are cool...but I've never owned one. My thing has become flown Soviet covers from the Salyut and Mir Programs. I've got several of those.

 

These were in the mail today when I got home.



These came from a seller in Italy and are all marked .925 silver. Anyone recognize the hallmark?