Apollo 11 Flown Metal EAGLE COLUMBIA Manned Flight Awareness Office Medallion
Item History & Price
Reference Number: Avaluer:2948999 | Year: 1970 |
Type: NASA / Apollo 11 Medallion | Modified Item: No |
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States | Featured Refinements: Apollo 11 Memorabilia, Space Flown |
This is flown metal. This orbited and landed on the surface of the moon on Apollo 11, along with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Ald...rin, with Mike Collins.
EAGLE: The part removed was a “Rock Box” clamp used to attach a pulley system to the LEM ascent stage. The pulley system was used to lift lunar rocks from the surface of the moon into the LEM ascent stage, for eventual return to the Lunar Laboratory on Earth. The remainder of the pulley system remains with the descent stage on the moon at TRANQUILITY BASE.
COLUMBIA: The part removed was a stainless steel bolt which helped to hold down the heat shield that protected the Command Module during the fiery reentry into the earth’s atmosphere.
These parts were melted down and mixed with a nickel-silver alloy used to cast the Apollo 11 Manned Flight Awareness medallions.
Obverse: Artist's rendition of astronaut standing on the moon surface with the American Flag. Around the top rim is inscribed: "THE EAGLE HAS LANDED". Around the bottom rim is inscribed: "JULY 20, 1969".
Reverse: Inscribed "This Medallion contains metal from spacecrafts Columbia and Eagle, that took Astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins on their historic Apollo 11 mission that resulted in the first landing of man on the moon."
Year issued: 1970; Smelting to ingots: Meriden Rolling Mills, Connecticut; Stamping Mint: Barco Mint of New Orleans; Number minted: 200, 000; Diameter: 1.25"; Design Artist: Victor Grimes; Medallion has silver tone color.
Note: the Manned Flight Awareness program office was later renamed the Space Flight Awareness office. Dr. Preston T. Farish, Program Director, personally added the two Apollo 11 pieces to the molten nickel-silver alloy used to cast the coins.
EAGLE landing: July 20, 1969 20:17:40 UTC Sea of Tranquility.
This medallion will be of interest to space buffs, history buffs, or coin collectors.
I’ve collected several of these coins throughout the years. On the 50th anniversary of man’s first landing on the moon, I decided it’s time to share a portion of this national history heritage with others who will also treasure these mementos.
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