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  Rockwell space shuttle pins and pendants

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Author Topic:   Rockwell space shuttle pins and pendants
Rambler Typhoon
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Posts: 27
From:
Registered: Dec 2015

posted 03-26-2016 08:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rambler Typhoon   Click Here to Email Rambler Typhoon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've been collecting space-related enameled metal pins, putting a higher priority on those marked NASA or with contractor names on the back. But it's also been interesting to assemble "souvenir" examples and compare the renditions and quality. In some cases I've actually preferred how the retail consumer version looks.

Up till now when I've come across charms or pendants they have appeared to retail/souvenir releases based on only having country of origin (or no) markings on the back. I was surprised recently, though, to get some shuttle pendants that were marked Rockwell on the back. Since I don't actually have any Rockwell pins for most of these missions I wanted to ask a couple things, some of which I've been meaning to ask for awhile anyway:

  1. For the shuttle program, is there some form of "official" (either through NASA or a contractor) enamel pin for all missions going back to STS-1? I talked to a Winco rep who said they had not started making the pins for the earliest missions, but he wasn't sure on the date.

  2. Is there any documentation on which missions Rockwell in particular would have issued pins and/or pendants? I would tend to think pins would have been more standard, but is it possible they only made pendants and not charms for some missions?

  3. If both pins and charms were available, what is the relative availability of each? Not as a value question per se (in other hobby areas I can point to multiple examples where a less common item sells for less because people prefer the other), but just in terms of supply.
As I start moving toward a more focused direction for my collecting, I'm trying to process through my own preferences, and some of that is based on understanding what is even out there. On the one hand, I lean toward consistency within a series, so sticking with pins over charms makes sense. But I do like some variety, and the mission logo rendition is the same. And if it works out that only pendants and not pins were made for some missions I don't want to pass on pendants if that's the only way to get something for it.

CMikeW
Member

Posts: 89
From: United States
Registered: Apr 2013

posted 04-26-2016 06:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for CMikeW     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have many hundreds of the enameled space shuttle mission pins. Early in the STS program, the pins have NASA or Rockwell International on the reverse. I think some even have both names. Later on they have USA, the contractor logo, on the reverse. I think that most of the ones without any ID are gift shop items.

The NASA, Rockwell ID'd pins were often handed out by the VIPs as gifts/compensation to us peons for the many hundreds of uncompensated hours we worked on mission preps.

There are relatively few charms compared to pins. This is especially true of Apollo era pins/charms. Email me at if I can help with anything.

Rambler Typhoon
Member

Posts: 27
From:
Registered: Dec 2015

posted 06-08-2016 09:02 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rambler Typhoon   Click Here to Email Rambler Typhoon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks so much for the information! I hadn't been able to check in here for awhile.

Surprisingly, after a year of not seeing any Rockwell marked pins or charms, I lucked into a couple finds from different sources, including some Apollo-era Rockwell charms still in their boxes. I haven't had time to collate the different collections yet to see where I have gaps, but I'm finally making progress so I'll get back to this.

All times are CT (US)

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