Medal - Apollo 13 And the Whole World Prayed

This medal tests 99.65% (+/-0.15%) Ag according to one XRF test, but there is no purity statement on the edge.

As per Wikipedia, the Apollo 13 mission would have been the third moon landing except for an oxygen tank explosion that resulted in the mission being aborted.

There appear to be two series; 

1) JSC Original Balfour, produced prior to 1973 and available in pewter, fine silver (.999) and 10kt gold. These were produced in variable sizes and weights (on demand) and can be found in a key fob/tag format as well. They usually have the (complete) Balfour name engraved on the edge (cursive style), with no statement of purity (see Director Aaron Cohen letter, circa 1989, below). Some were gifted to key personal and others were sold in the NASA exchange stores.

2) INA Restrike Balfour, “In 1973,  the International Numismatic Agency (INA), 96 Prince Street, New York, New York was appointed exclusive distributors to the public for the 13 different pieces (i.e., they included 2 Mercury, 3 Gemini and 8 Apollo designs). The medals, distributed by INA, were only available in sets which came in custom designed leatherette chests & lined." The medals were struck in both sterling silver (.925) and pewter. It is possible that the decision to sell off the distributorship may have been the result of “… L.G. Balfour died in 1973, the ownership of the company was placed in a trust administered by the Bank of New England.” &/or the NASA cancellation of the Apollo program in late 1970. These ”restrikes" usually have LGB initials on the edge and STERLING if they contained silver.