DALLAS, TX.- An Apollo 17 Flown Silver Robbins Medallion, Serial Number 75 — originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Commander Gene Cernan and one of just 80 flown — is expected to bring more than $30,000 when it crosses the auction block as the top lot in Heritage Auctions' Nov. 6, 2015 Space Exploration Signature® Auction in Dallas.

"This is the rarest of all Apollo silver Robbins and the perfect lot to lead this auction," said Michael Riley, Senior Historian and Cataloger at Heritage Auctions. "Being from the flight commander's collection makes it even more desirable."

Space flown hardware collectors have taken note of the Apollo 9 Flown Scissors, complete with Lanyard and Snap – along with the A7L Pocket Assembly (estimate: $20,000+) — originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart, which also includes a portion of the A7L spacesuit. A signed and certified Apollo 14 Lunar Module Flown Complete Lunar Bible, #14-179, as presented by Mission Lunar Module Pilot Edgar Mitchell to comedian Bob Hope (estimate: $20,000+), has also drawn the attention of space aficionados.

The Apollo 13 mission continues to loom large in the public imagination, as well as with collectors, as Heritage continues marking the 45 anniversary of NASA's most famously successful failure. An Apollo 13 Flown Nametag and NASA Logo from Commander James Lovell's PLSS Backpack, directly from his personal collection (estimate: $5,000+), along with an amazing Apollo 13 Flown "Landing" Checklist Cue Card, also directly from Lovell's personal collection (estimate: $4,000+), are both extremely evocative pieces of the mission, and Space history, having born such close witness to those legendary events.

Perhaps the most quietly interesting and influential piece in the auction is a stunning Gemini 3 flown (RANAM) Random Access Non-Destructive Readout 4096 Bit Memory Plane from the Gemini Spacecraft computer (estimate: $1,200+), a 4.25" memory chip from the first digital computer ever to orbit the earth.

"It's amazing to think that this chip, which is so big, contains significantly less computing power than the phone that most of us carry in our pockets," said Riley, "yet that same technology could never have existed without the groundbreaking work performed aboard the first two-man space flight by this little chip. This is a true treasure of both Space Exploration, tech and Pop Culture."

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

Apollo 11 Flown Silver Robbins Medallion, Serial Number 125: Originally from the Personal Collection of Astronaut Gene Cernan, with LOA. This 28mm sterling silver medal was one of 450 flown aboard Apollo 11, the first manned moon landing, July 16-24, 1969. Estimate: $30,000+.

Apollo 11 Crew-Signed "Type One" Insurance Cover: Originally from the Personal Collection of Mission Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, Signed and Certified. Since flying to the moon was considered a "high risk" activity by insurance companies, the astronauts would sign a quantity of these covers pre-flight to be left behind for family members to sell in case of a tragic accident. Apollo 11 was the first mission that made use of these covers. Estimate: $10,000+.

Apollo 8 Flown Life Preserver Vest on Plaque: Presented by the Backup Crew to Mission Command Module Pilot James Lovell and directly from His Personal Collection. Estimate: $4,000+.

Gene Cernan Signed Large Apollo 17 Lunar Surface color photo with extensive handwritten quote: A stunning 20" x 16" silk-finish photo picturing Cernan on the moon standing between the American flag and the lunar rover. He has written the following in blue felt tip on the photo: "Gene Cernan/ Cdr Gene Cernan/ 11th Moon Walker/ 'Last Man on The Moon' / 'I'd like to say that I believe history/ will record that America's/ challenge of today has forged /man's destiny of tomorrow and as/ we leave the Moon at Taurus-/ Littrow we leave as we came and/ God willing as we shall return,/ with peace and hope for/ all mankind.'" and "'God Speed The Crew/ of Apollo XVII/ Camelot- My home/ for 3 days of my/ life...'" Estimate: $2,000+.