2019-04-04 Thu

Pobjoy Mint released a special commemorative dome-shaped coin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing. The Ultra High Relief coin is released for the Government of Ascension Island. The reverse side of the coin tries to replicate the moon’s rough terrain and craters. It also features the first footprint of man, the flag of the United States of America, a ‘meatball’ logo and the Apollo 11 Crew Patch. The obverse depicts the exclusive Pobjoy Mint effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The 62.21 grams Cu-Ni has a mintage limit of 650 pieces and a diameter of 38.60 mm. The 1oz Fine Silver Piedfort that weighs 2oz can be purchased from 8th April. The silver coin comes in an acrylic capsule, which is kept in a beautiful black box along with a Certificate of Authenticity.

A NASA tracking station was built at Devil’s Ashpit on Ascension Island. The site was surrounded by volcanic peaks which guarded the station against radar and other interferences. The station was constructed in 1965 for Surveyor missions and was later used for tracking Apollo 11’s manned mission from Earth to the Moon.

Both the US and the Soviet Union were competing with each other to reach the moon since 1955. Apollo 11 set off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 16th July 1969. Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon on 20th July 1969. After the team landed on the moon, they hoisted the US flag and also a plaque which states “Here Men From The Planet Earth First Set Foot Upon the Moon, July 1969 AD. We Came in Peace for All Mankind”.

Image Courtesy: Pobjoy Mint