Desirable flown 1961 Roosevelt dime carried on board Gus Grissom’s Mercury Liberty Bell 7 flight. Dime is housed in a silver bezel with a dime-sized engraved sterling disc attached that reads, “Liberty Bell 7” on one side and, “21 July 1961” on the reverse. In fine condition. Retelling the moments after his escape from the sinking Liberty Bell capsule, and his struggle to stay afloat as his space suit quickly lost buoyancy, Grissom made reference to the souvenirs carried in the left leg of his suit: ‘I had brought along two rolls of fifty dimes each for the children of friends, three one dollar bills, some small models of the capsule and two sets of pilot’s wings. These were all adding weight that I could have done without.’ Following his safe return to land, the dimes were given as souvenirs as intended. One of the most recognizable and charming of all flown items. From the Leon Ford Collection.
