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Author Topic:   Apollo 12 crew-like patch (plastic-backed)
spaced out
Member

Posts: 3115
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-06-2008 03:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
As noted on my Crew Patches site there exists a version of the Apollo 12 patch that looks very similar to the crew patch but which has a plastic backing and so is presumably a later version.

On the site I note two subtle differences that are visible on the front of the example I have when compared with the regular crew patch:

The distinctive pattern of stars is identical but there are a few subtle differences. In particular the replica version lacks a dark line on the prow of the ship and a dark shadow on the jib (the triangular sail at the front).
These differences were confirmed by an example listed on eBay (170199158238).

At first glance it's a crew patch but if you look at the two indicators I mention you can verify (without needing to see the back) that it's the plastic-backed version.

In any case this is still an interesting patch, and apparently a pretty rare one as it doesn't seem to appear any more frequently than the bare back crew patch.

spaced out
Member

Posts: 3115
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 03-11-2008 05:29 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Andrew pointed out to me an example of what is apparently the Apollo 12 crew-like patch in an eBay sale (250215995439) of a Willabee and Ward "Official NASA Emblems" patch collector panel.

I've seen that in another example (130146658013) of this panel the patch is a regular AB Emblem version.

If anyone out there has an example of the Willabee and Ward Apollo 12 panel can they confirm if it has a regular AB patch or the crew-like plastic backed version?

I've always assumed that the patches in those sets were by AB Emblem. Does this imply that AB made the plastic-backed crew-like patch? Do the presentation cards state the patch manufacturer on them somewhere?

spaced out
Member

Posts: 3115
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 06-07-2008 02:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A listing on eBay (250256656922) apparently solves the mystery of the crew-like Apollo 12 patch.

This particular example was made by AB Emblem approximately 10 years ago, so mid-late 90s.

Liembo
Member

Posts: 611
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013

posted 02-05-2015 12:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Liembo   Click Here to Email Liembo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I finally managed to get a copy of the Apollo 12 patch from the Willabee and Ward set that matches the star pattern of the Quarantine crew patch. Here are some high-res side-by-side scans with a modern AB Emblem plastic-backed patch.

mach3valkyrie
Member

Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006

posted 02-05-2015 08:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mach3valkyrie   Click Here to Email mach3valkyrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
So the patches were randomly placed in the card sets from W&W?

Liembo
Member

Posts: 611
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013

posted 02-13-2015 02:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Liembo   Click Here to Email Liembo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I emailed W&W and asked them if they had any information about how things worked with A-B as far as ordering and this is their response:
Good Morning. Our emblems are ordered directly from A-B Emblem, it is a possibility that AB Emblem made some errors and did not match the emblems exactly. The subtle differences were not intentional. Thank you for your inquiry.
Questions remain:, why did A-B decide to make a crew-like patch when they never made one originally,and why did W&W only get them?

Based on some rough, non-scientific guestimation on which patch has been found in the binders on eBay for the past 6 months, I'd say the variation landed in less than 10% of the sets.

Liembo
Member

Posts: 611
From: Bothell, WA
Registered: Jan 2013

posted 02-21-2020 05:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Liembo   Click Here to Email Liembo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It looks like a few snuck into their regular packaging:

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