Uncommon flown Franklin Mint medal, #0127, carried into lunar orbit on board the Command Module Kittyhawk during the Apollo 14 mission. Medallion measures approximately 1.5″ in diameter, with a raised Apollo 14 mission insignia on the front, with the reverse depicting the lunar surface with “Spacecraft/ Kitty Hawk & Antares/ Destination/ Fra Mauro-1971,” in raised letters at the bottom. Medallion is inside a small cardboard holder, notated by Edgar Mitchell, “Flown on Kitty Hawk, No. 0127, Ed.” Also accompanied by a 2007 ALS from Mitchell attesting to the medal and reads, in part: “This letter is to certify that the accompanying Apollo 14 silver Franklin Mint medallion, serial number 0127, was carried into lunar orbit aboard the Command Module Kitty Hawk on the Apollo 14 mission…It has been in my personal collection of Apollo memorabilia since that time.” Medallion is also accompanied by a second letter of authenticity from Mitchell. In fine condition, with some light tarnishing to insignia side. Each of the three Apollo 14 crew members carried sixty-five of these medallions in their PPKs. After the mission, as many as fifty of them were returned to the Franklin Mint and melted down toward the production of Apollo 14 commemorative coins that were sent to Franklin Mint subscribers in 1971. The rest were retained by the crew members themselves. The fact that these are really the only Franklin Mint medals that were flown, other than the Apollo 13 medals that are reported to have been melted down and no longer exist, makes them unique and appealing to space collectors. With just 195 flown on the mission, compared to 303 Robbins medals, certainly makes them scarcer. Pre-certified Steve Zarelli and RR Auction COA.
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