Voting period is over. Please don't add any new votes. Voting period ends on 2 Sep 2015 at 19:14:25 (UTC)
Reason
High quality, high EV (presented as a complete set). Since the beginning of human spaceflight, astronauts have taken mementos with them in space. Coins and paper currency, small and lightweight, were often favorites during Project Mercury as space-flown souvenirs. Beginning with the Gemini program, astronauts took an active role in designing and producing commemorative medallions to be taken into space. Since the Apollo program, NASA has coordinated with the Robbins Company to produce medallions for every space mission since Apollo 7. All of the medallions pictured are space-flown, and either come from the collection of a NASA astronaut or were given as a gift by the astronaut who carried it. (See tables for more detailed provenance links).
Designed by NASA astronauts and/or civilian personnel, struck by "Fliteline" (Gemini) and the Robbins Company (Apollo) for NASA Images by Heritage Auctions (Edited by Godot13)
How do we know they were all flown? Not that I particularly care, because they are interesting themselves, but it seems they should be marked with an "F" if they are flown and only some of them have that; one I looked at on the auction site had a separate certificate. but this one for example, has no provenance and apparently no "F". Can I make Godot13 sweat again or is this an easy one? Belle (talk) 08:53, 25 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Hi Belle – No sweating on this one... Each of the Apollo Robbins medallions was serial numbered and there are records (see table in article) of how many were produced and (for later flights) how many (i.e., beginning with serial number 1) were space-flown versus unflown. There is very little documentation about the production of the Gemini Fliteline medallions, but it is suspected that there were roughly 100 struck and flown on each mission. The F (for flown) in the Apollo serial number was only added beginning with Apollo 17, but continued through Skylab, Shuttle, and ISS missions. Serial numbers for Apollo 14–17 are on the rim of the medallion. Hope this helps.--Godot13 (talk) 16:30, 25 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
I must try harder (you are in a cave that is slowly filling with water; you have a plank of wood, a teapot, and an owl; how do you escape?) Support A pity some of them are a bit crooked, but putting together the whole set is a feat. Belle (talk) 16:42, 25 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
You tear your shirt, attach one end of the cloth to the owl's leg, hold the other, stand on the plank, and then pour the tea on the owl. The terrified bird flies towards whatever opening there is, with you in tow. So you waterski out of the cave in style (this, of course, assuming you have a monocle). — Chris Woodrich (talk) 01:37, 26 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]