An Apollo 17 flown Robbins medal, personally owned by astronaut Jack Swigert, was among the top lots at Nate D Sanders' online sale, which ended on May 29.

The piece made an impressive $56,250.

Apollo 13 pilot Jack Swigert was the former owner of the Apollo 17 Robbins medal

Swigert (1931-1982) was one of the three astronauts aboard the fateful Apollo 13 mission, whose quick thinking and bravery got them safely back to Earth.

Only 80 Robbins medals were flown aboard the Apollo 17 mission, making them exceptionally scarce and resulting in a buoyant collectors market.

Previously we reported that this market had grown at a rate of 9.8% pa between 2008 and 2012. This latest sale indicates that the market has grown further - now equating to 13.5% pa between 2008 and 2014.

An Apollo 11 flown Robbins medal, also from Swigert's collection, made $34,275.

A flag taken aboard the Apollo 13 mission also proved popular among bidders, achieving $18,291.

It is presented attached to a certificate signed by Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise - the three astronauts who piloted the module.

Last year a similar flag and certificate from the Apollo 11 mission made a record $71,875 at Heritage Auctions in Dallas.  

Click here to check out our superb collection of museum grade space memorabilia, including this exceptional set of Apollo 11 crew autographs.

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