UPDATE: This lot is one of 16 in the current auction that comprise a complete suite of a medal, a patch, and a cover for each of John Young’s six space missions. Because select pieces within this collection are very rare, it took over seven years of determination and dedication to complete the project. The other 15 lots associated with this special collection are listed here.
Wally Schirra's flown sterling silver Apollo 16 Robbins medal presented to him by the mission commander, John Young. The medal, approximately 1.5" in diameter, features a raised design of the mission insignia on the face; the reverse is engraved with the launch date of April 16, 1972, moon landing date of April 20, 1972, and return date of April 27, 1972. Unlike other flown examples, the medal bears no visible serial number to the edge. Includes the original matching plastic case.
Accompanied by a copy of a provenance letter from Schirra, which indicates that this medallion was part of a complete set of Apollo medallions, each of which "was flown on their respective mission…The commander for each flight after Apollo 7 gave me a flown medallion in order that I might have a complete set." The unnumbered Apollo 16 example is listed and checked off below by Schirra.
This is the second scarcest medallion in the Robbins series, with just 98 that were flown. In the hierarchy of desirability, a flown Robbins medallion, presented by a member of the Apollo 16 crew to a fellow Apollo astronaut, ranks exceedingly high-especially one in such beautiful condition.
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