Medal, Robbins, Commemorative, Apollo 12

This sterling silver medallion minted by the Robbins Company in Attleboro, Massachusetts commemorates the Apollo 12 mission and has the mission patch on its front. Apollo 12 was launched on November 14, 1969, and returned after a little over ten days. Charles Conrad, Jr., Richard Gordon, Jr., and Alan Bean were the astronauts. It was the sixth human spaceflight and the second manned lunar landing in the Apollo program, taking place less than four months after Apollo 11 successfully landed the first astronauts on the Moon.

Robbins medallions were only available for purchase through the NASA astronaut office. This medal, which belonged to NASA astronaut and National Air and Space Museum director Michael Collins, was carried into space on board the mission. Collins gave the medallion to the Museum for display in the "Apollo to the Moon" gallery when the National Mall Building opened in 1976. It became a permanent part of the National Collection in 1985.