spot the difference

The "First Lunar Landing of Mankind" patch is a commonly spotted patch, often in lots with other Apollo patches. However, some investigation about the origin of this patch has made the background and origin of this patch very confusing. I present evidence items A and B:

A fairly common site on eBay are these exquisite framed patches. These were issued by the Needle Painters Guild and commorate various aspects of the early Apollo space program. Some of the backboards bear stitching about the moment in history. All appear to have identical cardboard backs. Some frames are white and some are brown, all are plastic. The Needle Painters Guild operated from the same facility of A-B Emblem and this are the single source for the patches used.

Often times a patch will come up for sale or auction that is in its original packaging. A unique item to add to your collection and a sure way to know that the patch has never been exposed to the environment. Knowing the package can also help you quickly identify different patch manufacturers as well. But how do you quickly identify the patch manufacturer by the packaging? Here is a quick guide.

A-B Emblems

Clear packaging:

There are at least three distinct versions of the "Shuttle Carriers of America" patch that commemorates NASA's fleet of shuttle ferrying 747's and the space shuttles they carried.

NASA was not satisfied with the typeface of the original version, allegedly that it was an unauthorized use of their logo (serifed font). Patches were released with this version which was later revised to a sans-serif font. There is also a reproduction version of the patch which has some cruder stitching. One overt difference is the way the rudder is stiched.

Original Production Run: