New from the United States Mint are images and some photos of next year’s 2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coins. The U.S. Mint released them Thursday, Dec. 13, in conjunction with a ceremonial striking event at its production facility in Philadelphia.
Scheduled to launch Jan. 24, 2019, the gold, silver and clad coins are uniquely curved much like the ones from 2014 that honored the 75th anniversary of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Under Public Law 114-282, Congress directed the U.S. Mint to produce and issue up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 silver dollars, 750,000 clad half dollars and 100,000 five-ounce $1 silver coins to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Next July will mark that anniversary landing by Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
Obverses of these coins are the same. As required, the U.S. Mint invited American artists to create an obverse design that was emblematic of the United States Space Program leading up to the historic mission.
Gary Cooper’s artwork won from among candidates unveiled in October 2017. Engraved by Joseph Menna, it features the inscriptions "MERCURY," "GEMINI," and "APOLLO," separated by phases of the Moon, and a footprint on the lunar surface. Additional inscriptions include "2019," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and "LIBERTY."
Each coin also has a common reverse. The general design was outlined in Public Law 114-282 with candidates reviewed in June 2017. Engraved by Phebe Hemphill, it depicts a representation of a close-up of the famous ‘Buzz Aldrin on the Moon’ photograph taken July 20, 1969, that shows just the visor and part of the helmet of astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
The reflection in Buzz Aldrin’s helmet includes astronaut Neil Armstrong, the United States flag, and the lunar module. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," the denomination, and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
Before Thursday, the Mint had published only line art designs of the Apollo 11 coins. Available now and offered below are images of the coins’ obverse and reverse as well as angled views.
As the images show, each of the U.S. Mint production facilities plays a part in striking the commemoratives. The proof and uncirculated $5 gold coins are from the West Point Mint, the proof and uncirculated silver dollars are from the Philadelphia Mint, the proof half-dollar is from the San Francisco Mint, the uncirculated half-dollar is from the Denver Mint, and the proof five-ounce $1 silver coin is from the Philadelphia Mint.
Images of 2019-W Proof $5 Gold Coins
Images of 2019-W Uncirculated $5 Gold Coins
| Diameter: | 0.850 inches |
| Weight: | 8.359 grams |
| Overall Height: | 0.141 inches |
| Composition: | 90% gold, 6% silver, balance copper |
| Mintage Limit: | 50,000 across all product options |
Images of 2019-P Proof Silver Dollars
Images of 2019-P Uncirculated Silver Dollars
| Diameter: | 1.500 inches |
| Weight: | 26.730 grams |
| Overall Height: | 0.243 inches |
| Composition: | 99.9% silver |
| Mintage Limit: | 400,000 across all product options |
Images of 2019-S Proof Clad Half Dollars
Images of 2019-D Uncirculated Clad Half Dollars
| Diameter: | 1.205 inches |
| Weight: | 11.340 grams |
| Overall Height: | 0.123 inches |
| Composition: | 8.33% nickel, balance copper |
| Mintage Limit: | 750,000 across all product options |
Images of 2019-P $1 Five Ounce Silver Coins
| Diameter: | 3.000 inches |
| Weight: | 155.517 grams |
| Overall Height: | 0.441 inches |
| Composition: | 99.9% silver |
| Mintage Limit: | 100,000 across all product options |
Release Information
Prices of the Apollo 11 coins are yet to be announced. When released at 12:00 PM ET on Jan. 24, orders may be placed from the U.S. Mint website at www.usmint.gov/catalog.
Upcoming CoinNews articles will cover the earlier mentioned ceremonial striking event as well as the actual release of the commemoratives.
