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Flown sterling silver Apollo 13 Robbins medallion attested as deriving from the collection of Apollo 13 CMP Jack Swigert. The medallion, approximately 1.25″ in diameter, features a raised design of the Apollo 13 mission insignia on the face—three horses driving Apollo's chariot across the surface of the moon. The reverse boasts the names of the crew as flown, and is engraved with the launch date of April 11, 1970, and the return date of April 17, 1970. The medal is serial numbered "204" and stamped above with the Robbins "Sterling" hallmark. Condition is mint state. Accompanied by the original plastic case and a short handwritten provenance note: "Medallion carried in orbit. Given to Art Bruns by Jack Swigert." Art Bruns became a friend of the astronauts as manager of the Miami Springs Villas Hotel complex, where many of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo astronauts went for rest and relaxation.
Owing to the unusual circumstances of the Apollo 13 mission, the affiliated Robbins medallion differs from its counterparts. A total of 400 medals were originally minted with the names of the scheduled prime crew—James Lovell, Ken Mattingly, and Fred Haise—and carried on the harrowing flight. The last-minute crew change, with Jack Swigert replacing Mattingly due to potential illness, dictated a return of the flown medallions to Robbins to be melted down and re-struck with the correct crew. Additionally, since the lunar landing was aborted, only two engraving blanks were placed on the reverse side for the launch and return dates.
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