Obverse presents a frontal portrait of Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, the second American astronaut to fly in space, rendered in high relief. He is shown smiling, with shoulders angled slightly left and clad in a stylized version of his Mercury pressure suit. The engraving emphasizes facial detail and approachable expression, distinct from other medals in the series that favor profile views.
Obverse lettering
VIRGIL GRISSOM (curved along the upper
rim)
✸ ✸ U.S.A. ✸ ✸ (curved along the lower rim)
Obverse script
Latin
Reverse description
Reverse commemorates the Mercury-Redstone 4 (MR-4) mission, which launched on July 21, 1961, marking the second suborbital spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. Centered in the field is the Mercury capsule Liberty Bell 7, displayed nose-up at a sharp ascent trajectory, emphasizing its parabolic flight path. Within the lower exergual region, the medal bears a trio of hallmarking elements struck directly into the field: an oval “925” silver fineness mark, a lozenge-shaped Italian State Mint assay mark identifying Milan as the district of issuance, and a small oval maker’s mark of currently unidentified attribution.
Reverse lettering
SECOND SUB-ORBITAL FLIGHT (curved
along the upper rim)
MERCURY 4 (curved along the lower rim)
✸ JULY 21ST 1961 ✸ (curved along the lower rim)
Reverse script
Latin
Engraver
assay mark identifying Milan as the district of issuance, and a small oval maker’s mark of currently unidentified attribution. Script: Latin Lettering: SECOND SUB-ORBITAL FLIGHT (curved along the upper rim) MERCURY 4 (curved along the lower rim) ✸
