Skip to content

Space memorabilia returns $610,000 at Heritage Auctions

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Astonaut Jack Swigert’s space-flown Apollo 13 Robbins medal sold for $13,750, while his Apollo 11 Robbins medal soared to $50,000. Heritage Auctions image
Astonaut Jack Swigert’s space-flown Apollo 13 Robbins medal sold for $13,750, while his Apollo 11 Robbins medal soared to $50,000. Heritage Auctions image

DALLAS – An Apollo 11 Robbins Medal, originally from the collection of Mission Support Crew Member Jack Swigert, realized the hefty final price realized of $50,000 in Heritage Auctions’ Space Exploration Signature® Auction on May 22. The sale of this space-flown artifact ( above right) signals strong collector interest in Robbins Medals across the board.

“Robbins Medals are key to any serious collector,” said Michael Riley, senior historian and cataloger at Heritage Auctions, “and the deep grouping of examples in this auction brought them out in significant numbers. Any time you can get a space-flown Robbins tied to an astronaut, let alone to Apollo XI, the most famous mission of them all, it’s bound to bring a very strong price.”

Two Robbins Medals – one from Apollo 16 and one from Apollo 15, both originally from Swigert’s collection – brought $15,000 each, while Robbins Medals from Apollo 13 and Apollo 8, again from Swigert originally, both brought final prices realized of $13,750.

Top among the Apollo 13 offerings, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary as NASA’s most successful failure, and which was specially featured in a large grouping in the auction, was a trio of Apollo 13 material in the form of a flown coiled LM utility light cord, netting and Beta Mission insignia, which realized $12,500.

Mounted on a plaque as presented by astronaut Fred Haise to lunar module maker Grumman's George M. Skurla, the material is united by an engraved plate on which Haise thanks Skurla for saving the life of the crew with his incredible spacecraft. The presentation piece sold for $12,500. Heritage Auctions image
Mounted on a plaque as presented by astronaut Fred Haise to lunar module maker Grumman’s George M. Skurla, the material is united by an engraved plate on which Haise thanks Skurla for saving the life of the crew with his incredible spacecraft. The presentation piece sold for $12,500. Heritage Auctions image
Another highlight was a prototype of the J.A. Maurer 16mm data acquisition camera, an early version of the legendary ‘DAC’ as carried on Gemini and both the lunar module and command module of all the Apollo lunar missions. It realized $10,652. Heritage Auctions image
Another highlight was a prototype of the J.A. Maurer 16mm data acquisition camera, an early version of the legendary ‘DAC’ as carried on Gemini and both the lunar module and command module of all the Apollo lunar missions. It realized $10,652. Heritage Auctions image

Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.