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When they stepped out of the recovery helicopter onto the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet the crew of Apollo 12 were wearing blue jumpsuits with an embroidered mission patch attached.

The patches on these suits are clearly visible in photos taken when the crew were in the mobile quarantine facility.

The black and white photos 69-H-1884 and 69-H-1886 show the patch on Gordon's suit quite distinctly as shown in the detail on the right.

Although similar in design to the regular AB Emblem patch, the distictive pattern of stars marks it out as a different patch.
The Crew Patch

The photographic evidence shows that the patch worn by the crew on their post-flight jump suits is that shown here.

Examples of this patch are known to have been flown on the mission as souvenirs, alongside regular AB Emblem patches.

This patch is thought to have been made by Dallas Cap & Embroidery.

This patch is pretty scarce but examples do turn up from time-to-time on eBay. Most of the time they are mistaken for AB Emblem versions so they don't sell for large sums but a recent example (July 07) that was recognized by a number of collectors sold for $678, (with 3 bidders going over $600 and another over $400) and another example sold for around $400[1].

A recent example sold for closer to $65[2], perhaps because it was only spotted by a few buyers and was apparently not in mint condition. Another recently sold for just over $400[3].

The most recent example sold on eBay for $465[4].

It's worth noting that there are also modern versions with plastic-coated backs which look almost identical (see gallery below).

[1] Batch of patches including Apollo 12 crew patch, eBay item no. 220145876056 September 8, 2007 sold at $446. Other patches worth approx $55 max.

[2] Batch of patches including Apollo 12 crew patch, eBay item no. 250173702522 October 14, 2007 sold at $130. Other patches worth approx $65 max.

[3] Aurora Fall 2007 Dec 1, 2007lot 440 sold at $360 inc fees.

[4] eBay item no. 150216367964 sold at $465 Feb 21, 2008.

Apollo 12 Mission Patch Gallery
Crew Patch AB Emblem Lion Brothers Other Manufacturers

This patch, produced by Dallas Cap & Embroidery, is the design worn by the Apollo 12 crew on their post-flight jumpsuits. [4" / 101mm]

The AB Emblem patch is very close to the design worn by the crew. The most obvious diference is the pattern of the four stars. [4" / 101mm]

The Lion Brothers Apollo 12 patch has the same pattern of stars as the AB Emblem version but differs in other ways such as the lunar surface and the thinner wake behind the ship. [4" / 101mm]

[AS12UNK1] This plastic backed patch is apparently a replica of the crew patch shown above. The distinctive pattern of stars is identical but there are a few subtle differences. In particular the replica version lacks a dark line on the prow of the ship and a dark shadow on the jib (the triangular sail at the front). [4" / 101mm]

[AS12UNK2] This patch from an unknown manufacturer was mounted with an Apollo 12 flown flag and is presumably contemporary with the mission itself. Of note, the gold thread in the outer area is not radial, and the ship's wake is very solid.
Other Manufacturers

[AS12UNK3] This bare cloth back patch from an unknown manufacturer has a distinctive wake behind the ship. It also lacks the usual silver or white border inside the outer edge.

[AS12UNK4] This patch from an unknown manufacturer has a distinctive blue moon. May be from the same manufacturer as AS1UNK1 and AS11UNK2.

[AS12UNK5] This high quality bare cloth back patch from an unknown manufacturer has one star much bigger than the others, a broad wake behind the ship, and bright yellow border thread.
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