[Apollo 13]

From the Collection of Raymond Beaulieu, Executive Plant Manager of the Robbins Company, Attleboro, MA; By descent.

A RARE TEST STRIKE OF THE ORIGINAL APOLLO 13 ROBBINS MEDALLION WITH THE ORIGINAL CREW.

The present lot is a lead test strike that was produced to gauge the quality of the impression before the final medallions were minted. This example for Apollo 13 is particularly interesting as its reverse has the initial design with Ken Mattingly, the original Command Module Pilot of the mission.

 Mattingly was removed from the Apollo 13 crew after exposure to German Measles by backup LMP Charlie Duke. Mattingly was the only member of the prime crew who had no natural immunity to the disease and was replaced as CMP by Jack Swigert.

In startling prescience, the mission emblem design visible on the obverse did not feature the crewmembers' names because the mission was broadly dedicated to the goal of advancing science for all humanity. Instead, it bears the phrase: "Ex-Luna Scientia," [From the Moon, Knowledge]. The fateful events of the mission underscored the staggering teamwork of hundreds of engineers on Earth to assist the crew in returning home. Aside from the Apollo 11 emblem, which similarly left off crew names as the mission was dedicated for all humankind, all other Apollo emblems feature the names of the astronauts involved.

This design feature meant that the medal’s reverse is the only location on the medal in which the crew members were listed and Mattingly’s original crew placement was referenced.

After the mission, all 404 flown Robbins Medals were restruck to bear the corrected crew names.