” You know what they did? They found that prop in the prop department and said “Hey Picard had this didn’t he?”
And they put it on the set without remember it’s significance of the episode it was in. “
My explanation, After the episode the Chase picard gave it to the university and had them scan it and make a replicated replica of it out of epoxy or something and put THAT in his ready room.
It would make no sense to have the actual artifact on a starship that literally blew up more than once a season..
Braga is nowhere NEAR that clever.
He'd have Amelia Earhart on an Alien Planet out in the Delta Quadrant and then write her off after one episode.
Oh Wait......