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 $1 Five Ounce Silver Coins
| Diameter: | 3.000 inches |
| Weight: | 155.517 grams |
| Overall Height: | 0.441 inches |
| Composition: | 99.9% silver |
| Mintage Limit: | 100,000 across all product options |
Release Information
Prices of the Apollo 11 coins are yet to be announced. When released at 12:00 PM ET on Jan. 24, orders may be placed from the U.S. Mint website at www.usmint.gov/catalog.
Upcoming CoinNews articles will cover the earlier mentioned ceremonial striking event as well as the actual release of the commemoratives.
I think these will be a very hot item. I smell a sell out in the gold and 5oz.
Mistake!? Silver dollar specifications “99.9% copper” ?
Chuck, thank you. It’s been changed to 99.9% silver.
The dollar coin is the size of a Morgan dollar and the same weight, but 99.9% silver instead of 90% coin silver. It should be the same size as the US Eagle and contain 1 ounce of silver. Again we are being cheated by the mint on price
Any idea on all/any coin set prices from the mint?
Mike Unser, Thanks for the Update and the pictures…
Does anybody know what the Half Dollar Set is for this series? Is it just special packaging for the S & D halves?
The sets will contain a Proof 2019-S Apollo 11 50th Anniversary clad half dollar and an Enhanced Reverse Proof 2019-S clad Kennedy half dollar. The Kennedy half dollar will be struck at the San Francisco Mint with S Mint mark.
Thanks.
I was so excited, but the reverse is kind of funky & the same design on all the coin$ is not my cup of JOe…..US collectors may make it a sell out but in the REAL WORLD, there is a little market for this subject issue, beyond that the mint has dreck….
I will be buying the set to go with all the original Apollo silver metals that I have with matching serial numbers.
On the Five Ounce Proof Silver Coin, did the US Mint abandon its plan to use “$1” as the denomination? The above image shows “ONE DOLLAR” as the inscription for the Five Ounce reverse.
I would have thought that the U.S. Mint put a limit of ONE set per order and minted double or even triple the coinage for an event such as the Moon Landing 50th Anniversary . This event is historic . Let the general public have a chance to hear about and then purchase these once in a lifetime coins . The Mint can up the limit after Americans have had their shot . I have no problem with investors making a buck or two , but really . can’t we make an exception this time ?
Seems to me the reverse should be the obverse.
I like the design features on this one!
Great pictures
These will up for sale in a few weeks, and my interest is in the 5 ounce coin.
Some interesting products are lined up for this year.
No Thanks, Run Forest Run!!!