
50th anniversary 1969 moon landing, worldwide coins and medals
- March 17, 2019
- by
- Pierre
APPOLO 11 has forever marked the history of space conquest and the history of mankind. This is the reason why many National Mints around the world have decided to issue commemorative coins to celebrate this event in 2019, year of APPOLO 11 50th anniversary. As we have done since launch of NUMISMAG, for this type of quasi-universal coin issues, our editorial team offers you an article that presents a summary of these issues, marking a major event in our common history.
The article will be completed by new coin issues that will be announced worldwide.
AUSTRALIA
Australia has been very significantly associated with the History of Apollo 11. Indeed, the receiving stations that captured APPOLO 11’s radio and video broadcasts and then retransmitted them through the world were located in Australia. These were the Parkes and Honeysuckle Creek observatories in Australia. A third observatory located in the United States was also to receive Apollo 11 emissions, but what it received was unusable. The images broadcast worldwide depicting Man’s first steps on the Moon were therefore images captured by Australian stations.
The Australian Geography Society had also reconstructed a new sequence of this adventure from a “pirate” record, kept by an Australian technician. The original tapes had been returned in 1969 to NASA, which then reused part of them to record other Space missions… destroying the original recordings on these tapes!
These coin issues are complemented by a coin set jointly developed by the US Mint and the Royal Australian Mint. This is the first time that US Mint work together with another National Currency to design a commemorative coin set, according to the statements of the head of the marketing department of the Australian Mint, that the NUMISMAG team met in BERLIN in February 2019.
This set will contain a one US dollar coin of one ounce in silver and an Australian five dollars coin of one ounce in silver as well.
It will be marketed by the Australian Royal Mint.
In addition, two coin sets, one in proof condition and the other one in BU condition, are issued by Australian Mint conteining the annual divisional series.
2019 Appolo 11 proof coin set
2019 Appolo 11 BU coin set
In these coin sets, the one-dollar coin is a commemorative coin celebrating the 50th anniversary of APPOLO 11. Two telecommunications operators in front of a screen are showing Neil ARMSTRONG, as he takes his first steps on the moon. In the upper right field of the coin is the radio telescope of one of the two Australian observatories involved in the APOLLO 11 mission.
The 5-cent coin is also a commemorative coin illustrated by an aerial view of the Apollo 11 lunar landing site and a footprint of Neil Armstrong on the lunar ground. This is the first time an annual set contains a commemorative 5-cent coin.
AUSTRIA
2019 Austrian silver €20
50th anniversary of APPOLO 11
(picture WMF 2019 – Austrian Mint booth)
It is the first fully convex coin of the Austrian Mint. This means that one side of the coin is curved, as like as the real lunar landscape represented on it. The other side is curved inward and includes the lunar module and an astronaut as well as tampoprinted planet Earth. It also shines in the dark.
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BARBADOS
Belgium
50th anniversary of Moon landing
Metal: Silver 925/1000
Weight: 14.6 gram
Diameter: 30 mm
Quality: Proof (PP)
Max. mintage: 5,000
Design: Luc Luycx
CAMEROUN
CONGO
This coin weights a Troyes ounce . It is made of 999/1000 gold and is marketed by APMEX retailer.
The mintage is limited to 100 coins.
There is also a silver coin version. The mintage is limited to 1,000 coins.
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COOK ISLANDS
UNITED STATES
US Mint
The United States Mint issued several commemorative coins dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 – Man’s First Steps on the Moon – in 2019. It is one of the most significant events in the history of the space conquest, the first manned landing on the Moon.
The challenge was launched by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to “achieve the goal, by the end of this decade, of landing a man on the Moon and bringing him safely back to Earth”. The objective was reached on July 20th, 1969, when Apollo 11 landed on the Sea of Tranquility on the surface of the Moon.
In 2019 the US Mint is honoring this historic achievement with the commemorative coin program for the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.
The program includes convex pieces in gold, silver and plated silver.
From this year onwards, the standard title will be AG 999/1000. The previous commemorative silver dollars were in AG 900/1000.
On the obverse, the visual of the American coin series represents ARMSTRONG’s first steps on the Moon through the reflection of an image on the helmet visor of another astronaut of the APOLLO 11 crew, BUZZ ALDRIN. It is based on a famous picture “Buzz Aldrin on the Moon”, taken on July 20th, 1969.
This is the reason why the obverse of this coin is convex.
On the reverse is engraved a print of NEIL ARMSTRONG on the lunar ground, symbol of the success of APPOLO 11. A reminder of the previous MERCURY and GEMINI projects is mentioned on the upper coin ciconference.
The two sides of the 2019 silver Apollo 11 5oz. are presented at an official “first coin strike” ceremony at the United States Mint in the Philadelphia Mint workshop on Thursday, December 13, 2018 (AP Photo/Matt Rourke).
ITALY
€5 – 50th anniversary First steps on the Moon
On the obverse, a composition of earth and moon colours was made with the space-time network in the background. Above and below are the respective words “REPUBLIC” and “ITALIAN”.

On the reverse side is the footprint left by astronaut Armstrong on the lunar ground after the moon landing on July 20, 1969. The Earth is in colour and stands on the horizon. The engraver is Claudia MOMONI. The famous sentence of the Astronaut is also reproduced, pronounced when he has just landed on the Moon: “A small step for a man, a giant step for Humanity”.
Face Value : €5
Material : silver
Diameter: 32 mm
weight : 18 g
Edge: reemed
Condition: Proof
Engraver: Claudia Momoni
Mintage: 6.000 coins
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ASCENSION ISLANDS
Pobjoy Mint
2019 990 Titanium 1 Crown Coin
Issued on behalf of Ascension Island
Mintage: 7,500 coins
Unique presentation box and certificate
Also available as: Proof Sterling Silver and Unc. Cupro Nickel in Pack
Special Permission Granted for use of NASA logo, under licence
Version en Cupro nickel
Greece
€6 silver coin dedicated to 50th anniversary of first man steps on the Moon
Maximal mintage 1.200 coins
San Marin
€5 silver coin, in proof condition, dedicated to 50th anniversary of first steps of man on the Moon
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FRANCE
Series on the Great dates in the history of Mankind
€10 proof Silver – 50 years of the first steps on the Moon
coin made of a blue-night through resin. During producing process, the coin will be hollowed out in most of the blank to make way for this blue resin.
€10 silver proof coin
Fineness: 900 ‰ silver
Diameter : 37 mm
Weight : entre 17,3 g et 17,9 g
Mintage: 5 000 coins
Recommanded Price : not available
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50 € Silver BE – 50 years of the first steps on the Moon
The part is not hollowed out. The blue resin is placed on each side in a reserve. You can see the earth and the Apollo capsule through it.
€50 silver proof coin
Fineness : 950 ‰ silver
Diameter : 50 mm
Weight: 163,8 g
Mintage : 250 coins
Recommanded price : not available
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€50 Gold proof coin – 50 years of the first steps on the Moon
On this version there is no blue resin. The bottom of the coin is treated with a glossy polished finish. The other parts of the coin and in particular the stars are treated in matt finish.
€50 gold proof coin
Fineness: 999 ‰ gold
Diameter: 22 mm
Weight : 7,78 g
Mintage : 500 coins
Recommanded retail price: not available
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€200 Gold proof coin – 50 years of the first steps on the Moon
The coin is not hollowed out. The blue resin is placed on each side in a reserve. The earth and the Appolo 11 capsule are visible by transparency.
200 €200 gold proof coin
Fineness: 999 ‰ gold
Diameter : 37 mm
Weight : 31,104 g
Mintage : 250 coins
Recommanded retail price: not available
Issuing day : May 14th 2019
The entire series of French coins was designed by Joaquin JIMENEZ, Creative Director of the Monnaie de Paris (french Mint).
NIUE ISLAND
Island in northeastern New Zealand, at the centre of a triangle formed by Tonga, Samoa and Cook Islands.
SOLOMON ISLANDS
SPAIN
The obverse shows the effigy of His Majesty King Philip VI. In the upper part of this side, the legend FELIPE VI KING OF SPAIN appears. In the lower part of this side, the yearmark 2019.
On the reverse of the coin is picture of the Moon and above appears the command module attached to the module that landed on the surface of the Moon. On the left, the mintmark and, at the bottom, a picture of the Spanish antenna that supported this historic flight. On the right, the face value of 10 EURO is engraved, as well as the legend “50 ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARRIVAL ON THE MOON” and anniversary references, 1969-2019.
Blank size: Metric 8 Real
Yearmark: 2019
Quality: Proof
Diameter: 40mm
Face value: €10
Fineness: 925/1000
Metal: Silver
Weight: 27g
Mintage: 10000 coins
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SWITZERLAND
This is a significant event for Switzerland because Apollo 11 had embarked on a very special equipment designed and manufactured in Switzerland.
For all the details concerning this coin, you can read our article about SWISS MINT (see article here).
Remo MASCHERINI, SWISS MINT engraver, designed this coin
Sources: Monnaies Nationales et NUMSMAG©.
1 Comment
Michael zornek
4th May 2019 - 23 h 58 minHow can I get-a-hold-of some Italian moon landing coins?