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Saturday 13 October 2018

829) Apollo-11 Moon Landing: "50 Anniversary Commemorative Coin Programme (1969-2019)": Four coins being issued by the US Mint in 2019:

829) Apollo-11 Moon Landing: "50 Anniversary  Commemorative Coin Programme  (1969-2019)": Four  coins being issued by the US Mint in 2019:


Four coins are proposed to be issued by the US Mint during 2019 under the Apollo-11 Moon Landing "50th anniversary Commemorative Coin Programme during 2019.

These four coins will celebrate the first manned moon landing on 20.07.1969.

All four coins - a Gold $5 Coin, a standard .900 fine Silver Dollar, a Copper-Nickel clad Half Dollar and a 5-ounce .999 fine Silver Dollar - will be struck with a concave Obverse and Concave Reverse, using the technology introduced for the National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins in 2014.

Out of 119 designs originally submitted by artists for the coin programme, it was Gary Cooper's design which was finally selected by a jury comprising 3 members each from the Commission of fine arts and the Citizens Coinage advisory Committee for the final coin design to be engraved on the Obverse, while Phebe Hemphill's Reverse Design will figure on all the commemorative coins in this programme.

The approved designs were unveiled on 11.10.2018 during ceremonies held at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air & Space Museum.

Cooper's design features the inscribed named of the space programmes that combined together, represent the efforts of the United states Space Programme which led up to the first moon landing.

The Obverse design of the Commemorative Coin placed against the photograph taken by "Buzz Aldrin" on the Moon on 20.07.1969, which shows just the visor and part of the helmet of astronaut Aldrin, while the reflection in Aldrin's helmet includes astronaut Neil Armstrong, the US Flag and the lunar module.

Above right is Cooper's original Obverse design submission and above left is the design as selected after requested modifications by the Committee were made. 'MERCURY, GEMINI and APOLLO" separated by phases of the Moon, with a footprint on the lunar surface in the modified design at left is the finally approved design
                  The Obverse and Reverse designs seen together

The inscriptions on the Obverse are "MERCURY, GEMINI APOLLO" separated by phases of the moon. Also seen are the year of issue "2019" and "IN GOD WE TRUST", with "LIBERTY" on the lower periphery.

The inscriptions on the Reverse are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" (on the upper periphery), "ONE DOLLAR" , and "E. PLURIBUS UNUM" (meaning Out of Many - One".

The 5 Ounce 3 - inch Silver Dollar will be the first 5-ounce coin struck with a Proof finish, reeded edge and curved format. It will be issued only in Proof Coin Quality. This coin will nave a maximum mintage of 100,000 pieces. The Proof 5 Ounce coin will be struck at the Philadelphia Mint and bear the "P" Mint mark.

The Gold $5 Coin will have a maximum mintage of 50,000 coins. The Proof and Uncirculated Gold $5 coins will be struck at the West Point Mint and bear the "W" Mint mark.

The 1.5 inch standard fine Silver Dollar will have a mintage of 400,000 pieces. This coin will be struck in Proof and Uncirculated variants at the Philadelphia Mint and bear the "P" Mint mark.

The Copper-Nickel clad half dollar will have a mintage of 750,000 coins. This coin will be struck at the San Francisco Mint in Proof with the "S" Mint mark and in Uncirculated finish at the Denver Mint with the "D" Mint mark.

In addition to the above coins:

A limited edition two coin half dollar set restricted to a product limit of 100,000 sets is being put together. The set will contain a Proof 2019- "S" Kennedy clad half dollar (struck at the San Francisco mint).

Included in the set will be an enhanced Reverse Proof coin.


This two coin set commemorates the connection between John F. Kennedy and the US Space Programme, and recalls the Special Joint session of Congress on 25.05.1961, in which Kennedy announced goal of sending a US astronaut to the moon and returning him safely to Earth, before the end of the decade, which led to the funding of the Apollo Space Programme.

 Posted on 07.01.2019:

The Apollo 11 - 50th Anniversary Commemorative Engraved Print Collection:

 The moon landing collection also consists of three prints that follow the journey of Apollo-11:
The first print in the series is titled "Mission" and features President John F. Kennedy' quote that set the goal of landing a man on the moon -

 "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard...."

 This print is symbolic of the US Space Programme's mission leading up to the first manned moon landing. The design features an embossing of Apollo 11 and the lunar surface with an engraving of President John F. Kennedy and his above-mentioned quote."
The second print is titled "The Eagle Has Landed" showcases Neil Armstrong's historic first steps. There is a quote from President Richard M. Nixon -

"Because of what you have done the heavens have become a part of man's world. As you talked to us from the Sea Of Tranquility, it inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility on Earth".

This print is emblematic of the historic proclamation "The Eagle Has Landed", an engraving of President Richard M. Nixon with his quote mentioned above. 

This print also features an engraved representation of the "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon", photograph taken on 20.07.1969. The reflection in astronaut Aldrin's helmet features Armstrong, the Flag and the lunar lander. The background features the lunar module on the embossed surface of the moon.

The third print is titled "Giant Leap" which closes the series and shows Armstrong saluting the American flag and an embossed foot-print on the lunar surface.

There is a quote from Armstrong "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".

This print captures the historic moment  and features engravings of Armstrong saluting the flag and an embossed footprint on the lunar surface.

The specifications of this 3 print set are:

Issuer: Bureau of Engraving and Printing; Mintage Limit: 8,000 sets; Product Limit: 8,000 sets; The three prints can be purchased individually or through a product enrolment.

When displayed together, the three-print set forms an impressive image of the Moon itself.





Links:

1) America the Beautiful Quarters - 2010 (the start of the Programme)






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