NASA “prototype” ?

[jweitkamp]

I purchased this on a flyer from a reliable eBay dealer as a “prototype “ NASA Challenger Seven medal. I’m not able to find anything at all that would verify this. It is well made, engraved in the manner of bona fide early NASA medals and utilizes a design that was used on an actual NASA design. Anybody ever seen anything that would point to this actually being something that was considered by NASA?

[mikie]

Try posting it at collectspace.com.  Lots of knowledgeable people happy to help if they can. Good luck!

Mikie

[LuftStalg1]

I have had many FAKE NASA medals and they all had the same look as yours with that same paint over metal.   I can not think of the fellas name off the top of my head.  Is it "soft" medal that has been painted?  And as it is states it was made by Graco, I think behind the pin, you could contact them. 

P.S. I am going to say it is a fake Public Service Medal that has been modified by REMOVING metal and then was painted.  If it had variations that were raised I would feel better but I could make one of these pretty easily.  Just my opinion as they say.

 

[jweitkamp]

Thanks. This example has a die struck planchet. It is neither painted, nor made of soft medal. It shows no signs of having had material removed. The mystery continues and I will attempt a query to Graco.

[LuftStalg1]

My bad, your right.  I just found one of the old fakes from the 80's and they are die struck and not painted but have this funky color.  Here is one I pulled out of my junk bag.  And I had dozens of all the NASA medals sold to me as FAKE.   Sorry but I believe it to be pure fantasy piece.

[jweitkamp]

Interesting. Did you ever find out the source of your fakes?

[LuftStalg1]

I am trying to remember the name.  This was pre internet and his was one of the many small homemade multi page paper mailer catalogs of the time.   I will look through my piles of old paperwork I have saved and see if I can find a receipt or something with a name on it and get back to you.