This sterling silver medallion minted by the Robbins Company in Attleboro, Massachusetts commemorates the Apollo 13 mission and has the mission patch on its front. Apollo 13 was launched on April 11, 1970, and was intended to be the third lunar landing in the Apollo program. However, equipment problems forced cancellation of the lunar landing and the astronauts - James Lovell, Jr., Fred Haise, Jr., and John Swigert, Jr. - returned safely to Earth after fewer than six days in space.

Robbins medallions were only available for purchase through the NASA astronaut office and were flown aboard the missions to create a personal keepsake. The Apollo 13 Robbins medallions flown on this mission were melted down and reminted to reflect both the changes in the mission's crew (Jack Swigert was substituted for Ken Mattingly three days before launch) and the absence of a lunar landing date.

NASA astronaut and National Air and Space Museum director Michael 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.