PROJECT APOLLO Franklin Mint 20 Sterling Medals with Moon Voyage Silver, Paperwork

  

This is Flown Metal in Coin Set! Franklin Mint - PROJECT APOLLO 13 (XIII) Man's Greatest Adventure Limited Edition Solid Sterling Silver "Project Apollo" Franklin Mint Set of Twenty Sterling Silver Medals Made with Apollo XIII Flown Metal. Issued originally in December 1970, these twenty silver medals of 31mm each trace the steps of a successful moon landing mission from "Left-Off to the Moon" and "Second Stage Ignition" to "Splash-Down" and Recovery. " These are all presented in a custom 9" x 12 framable plaque. The coins are uncirculated and show edge toning.

Only 4967 sets were issued and 3698 sets were recalled and re-issued. Includes all paperwork for both the original issue and the re-issued set. These are of the re-issued variety with a line over the mint mark on each reverse indicating that they do contain flown metal.

NOTE: Original presentation folder is in good shape with some sticky spots that might be easily cleaned up (I have not tried). This set is over 50 years old. Medals issued in commemoration of the Project Apollo moon mission, and minted in 1970, the year following the first moon landing. Some of these medals were claimed to have been "flown", i. That they were taken into space, and that generated some controversy. According to the Franklin Mint, 4967 sets of the medals were issued that were thought to have contained silver that was carried around the moon. Upon learning that this was incorrect, the Mint recalled those sets and replaced them with sets that were minted from a special lot of silver that did contain metal that was flown around the moon. According to the Mint, 3698 of the sets were replaced. A small horizontal line above the mintmark distinguished the replacement sets.

Note however that the Franklin Mint never claimed that ALL of the silver in the medals was flown around the moon, or that the finished medals had been flown in space, just that the medals were struck from a lot that contained SOME silver that was flown. This is a full set of the 3698 made. Please do your own research. These are definitely RARE and COLLECTOR DREAM.

I just can't break up the set to sell separately as I feel it is just the wrong thing to do.