This sterling silver medallion minted by the Robbins Company of Attleboro, Massachusetts commemorates the Apollo 11 mission and has the mission patch on its front. Apollo 11 was launched on July 16, 1969, and returned after a little over eight days. Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins were the astronauts. It was the fifth human spaceflight and the first lunar landing in the Apollo program. Over 500 million people around the world watched Neil Armstrong's televised image and heard his voice as he took his first step on the Moon on July 20.
Robbins medallions were only available for purchase through the NASA astronaut office. This medal, which belonged to Apollo 11 command module pilot 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.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.