2018-10-15 Mon

The Kennedy Space Center in Florida launched Apollo 11 on 16th July 1969. Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to land on Moon on 20th July 1969. To celebrate 50 years of this remarkable achievement, Pobjoy Mint is going to release Uncirculated copper-nickel and Proof .925 fine silver 1 crown coins in 2019 for Ascension Island.

The reverse of both coins features a saluting astronaut and NASA’s logo. The background shows the American flag and the Eagle lunar module. The Earth’s view from moon shows the continents of North and South America. The same image was used on the medal that the astronauts carried on the moon. The obverse features an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The 28.28 grams coins have a diameter of 38.6 millimetres.

The copper-nickel coin has a mintage limit of 25,000 pieces and can be purchased for $17.95 while the silver coin has a mintage limit of 5,000 and can be purchased for $59.95. The copper-nickel coin comes in a colour pack while the silver coin comes in an acrylic capsule that’s packed in a red box along with a certificate of authenticity.

A NASA tracking station was built Devil’s Ashpit on the eastern side of Ascension Island. The location was surrounded by Volcanic peaks which gave protection from all kinds of interferences. The tracking system was constructed in 1965 for Surveyor missions. The same station was later used for tracking Apollo 11’s flight to the moon and other manned space missions.

Image Courtesy: Pobjoy Mint