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and the Mercury Dimes is well known among people with even the lightest interest in the space program or coins, IThe last time we spoke about the currency and dimes was during a casual meeting at Cape Kennedy less than a year before he and two other astronauts were killed in the fire of Apollo 1.

At the time, The Space Program Quiz & Fact Book was still some years in the future. But, with press credentials, and as a lifelong coin collector, I used my access to ask about Grissom's dimes and other coins and stamps astronauts took into space. That final meeting with Grissom, and fellow Original 7 Astronaut Wally Schirra, was at the Holiday Inn bar in Titusville. It was a long-time favorite watering hole for these pilots with what author Tom Wolfe called "the right stuff."

When I brought up the dimes again Grissom groaned and Schirra let out a laugh.

"That's old news. I've told you that before. Everybody's heard what I have to say about those damn dimes."

Nonetheless, I refused to change the subject and went on. I mentioned that even though they are popularly called Mercury Dimes, they are really Winged Liberty Head Dimes and the last ones had been made in 1945.

"So I've heard, many times. But we were in Project Mercury, and were the Original 7 Project Mercury Astronauts, get it?" He wasn't annoyed, just a bit bored, it seemed, being asked to rehash the old story.

"Go ahead, Gus, tell him how those dimes almost drowned you," Schirra prodded. "Let's see if you can tell the same baloney the same way again, Schirra teased.

Grissom made a face, but told the story, again.

"I had sneaked two rolls of fifty dimes each with me into the space craft. I intended to distribute them to friends' children as souvenirs. I also had three one dollar bills, a couple of small models of a Mercury space craft. They were supposed to be mine, the Liberty Bell 7, but they were just generic Project Mercury things you could buy from any hawker around this part of Florida. I also had two sets of pilot's wings.

"When the hatch door blew, the space craft started filling with water and the added weight was quickly putting a strain on the tether from the rescue chopper attempting to lift it from the sea. In seconds, literally seconds, the damn thing was impossible to lift. I knew I had to get out, because this thing was sinking, fast. And I knew those dimes and other stuff I shouldn't have had with me were just adding to my weight, so I emptied all that stuff inside the space craft as I scrambled out.

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