Apollo 11 50th Anniversary commemorative coins (United States) facts for kids
The Apollo 11 50th Anniversary commemorative coins were special coins made by the United States Mint in 2019. They were created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first time humans landed on the Moon. This amazing event happened in 1969, when Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface.
There were four different types of coins in this collection:
- A gold half eagle (which is a $5 coin).
- Two different sizes of silver dollars.
- A copper-nickel clad half dollar.
Most of these coins were made in two styles: "proof" (which means they have a shiny, mirror-like finish) and "uncirculated" (which means they are new but have a regular coin finish). The gold coins were made at the West Point Mint. The silver coins were made at the Philadelphia Mint. The half dollars were made at the Denver Mint and San Francisco Mint.
All four coins share the same design. The front, called the obverse, shows a clear bootprint on the Moon's surface. This design was inspired by a real photograph taken by Buzz Aldrin during the mission. A sculptor named Gary Cooper created this design, and Joseph Menna from the Mint engraved it.
The back of the coin, called the reverse, shows a close-up of Buzz Aldrin's helmet visor. You can see a reflection in the visor, which includes Neil Armstrong, the American flag, and the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle. This design comes from a famous photo taken by Neil Armstrong. Phebe Hemphill from the Mint created and engraved this part. Buzz Aldrin became the seventh person to appear on a U.S. coin while still alive!
These special coins are curved, which makes them unique. The front (obverse) is shaped like the inside of a cup (concave). The back (reverse) is shaped like the outside of a cup (convex). When these coins first went on sale in January 2019, many people thought they would sell out very quickly, just like the curved 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame coins. However, this didn't happen, and the Apollo 11 coins did not reach their sales limits before they stopped being sold at the end of 2019.
Images for kids
-
Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, as photographed by Neil Armstrong, who is visible in the reflection on the visor
-
Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham and Sheryl Chaffee, daughter of Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Chaffee, unveil the reverse design. Mint Director David Ryder stands at lectern.
-
Aldrin's bootprint on the Moon
-
Congress required that the image of Aldrin's helmet with Armstrong reflected in it form the basis for the reverse.
-
The set with two half dollars offered by the U.S. Mint
-
NASA Astronaut Christina Koch holds one of the half dollars aboard the International Space Station
-
Apollo 11 $5 coin on sale at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, November 2019
-
Reverse of silver dollar struck on December 13, 2018
See also
In Spanish: Monedas conmemorativas del 50.º aniversario del Apolo 11 para niños
