One of the most important events in the history of mankind was the Moon landing in 1969. Although the United States astronauts accomplished it, many countries in the world celebrated the event and celebrated the 50th anniversary as well. Numerous countries struck coins to commemorate this important event – Australia, Ghana, Canada, East Caribbean States and even the tiny Solomon Islands – all issued coinage to honor the half century anniversary.
Of course, the United States led the way in honoring that national and international accomplishment. The Congress of the United States, knowing there would be tremendous interest in this issue authorized the U.S. Mint to strike a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, a 5-Ounce Silver coin and a Five Dollar Gold coin. The designer of the obverse and the reverse was a Maine sculptor named Gary Cooper. Joe Menna of the U.S. Mint engraved the obverse while the Mint’s Phebe Hemphill engraved the reverse.
All four of these coins shared the exact same design on the obverse and the reverse and all four of these coins are concave on the obverse and convex on the reverse making this matching 4 piece set very unusual in both design and appearance.
The obverse of all the coins depicted a boot print on the lunar surface, which was based on a photograph by Astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Above the boot print impressed into the lunar surface are the words, “MERCURY * GEMINI * APOLLO,” all of which were separated by a different phase of the Moon. To the left is “2019,” and to the right is “IN GOD WE TRUST.” On the lower periphery is the word “LIBERTY.”
The reverse design is very interesting in that it depicts the visor and helmet of Buzz Aldrin’s space suit, with Astronaut Neil Armstrong, an American flag and the Lunar Module, The Eagle, in the reflection in this image. The shadow cast by Aldrin is also prominent in this image and on this coin. This view is based on the very famous photograph taken by Armstrong that was reproduced in newspapers around the world. Above this scene is the denomination “ONE DOLLAR,” while the upper periphery is inscribed with the phrase “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and the lower periphery has the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
The copper-nickel “clad” Half Dollar had an Uncirculated version that was struck at the Denver Mint and bears a “D” mintmark on the obverse of the coin.
The U.S. Mint also struck a Proof version of this clad Half Dollar at the San Francisco Mint, so the coin bears an “S” mintmark on its obverse.
Congress authorized a maximum mintage of 750,000 of these clad half dollars. The Uncirculated version sold 41,738 coins while the Proof version sold 181,811 coins.
The Proof coin was also offered in a special Apollo 11 Half Dollar set with an Enhanced Uncirculated Kennedy half dollar only available in that set and limited to 100,000 sets.
The Silver Dollar coins were the first commemorative coins that were not struck in the typical composition of 90% silver and 10% copper. These silver dollars were the first ones to be struck in .999 Fine Silver. This made the U.S. commemorative silver dollar competitive with all its world counterparts.
The only text change to the design of the Half Dollar was the denomination on the Silver Dollar as “ONE DOLLAR.”
Congress had authorized a maximum mintage of 400,000 Silver Dollar coins could be struck. The Philadelphia Mint struck both the Uncirculated and Proof versions of the Silver Dollar so both coins bear a “P” mintmark.
The Uncirculated Silver Dollars sold 59,697 coins and the Proof version sold 223,737 coins.
The next silver coin to be added to this grouping was a 5 Troy Ounce .999 Fine Silver coin. This was the first time a 5-Ounce (ATB style coin) was added to the United States Commemorative program.
The 5-Ounce Apollo Coin was eagerly awaited. The larger silver size and it would be struck ONLY in Proof condition This was the very first curved 5-Ounce coin and the first Proof 5-Ounce silver coin
The U.S. Mint suffered some production problems producing this 5-Ounce curved coin, otherwise this issue might have sold out during the initial launch event. The Congress of the United States had authorized some 100,000 of these 5-Ounce coins that could be struck. The U.S. Mint, even after delays, and mechanical problems still sold 68,259 of these special coins. Again, the designs were the same, the denomination remained at $1, and all these coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint.
The final coin of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, of course, was the commemorative Five Dollar Gold coin. The coin used the same designs on the obverse and reverse, was also curved, and differed in size, denomination, and metallic composition.
The legislation that created all these coins authorized a maximum number of 50,000 gold coins that could be struck. The coins were struck in both Uncirculated and Proof finishes and all of them were struck at the West Point mint.
The surcharge that was generated from the sale of all these coins went, in part, to the Smithsonian Museum’s Air and Space Museum, and the rest was split between the Astronaut Memorial Foundation and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
Both coins bore the “W” mintmark and 12,035 of the Uncirculated coins were sold while 34,037 of the Proof coins were sold. These coins were nearly a sell-out, and this was a very successful commemorative coin program due to the presentation and the nature of the subject matter.
All these coins were available individually and an Uncirculated and Proof set of the Clad Half Dollars was also available.
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 2019 | D | Clad Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 41,738 | $60 |
| 2019 | S | Clad Half Dollar | Proof | 181,811 | $65 |
| 2019 | P | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 59,697 | $125 |
| 2019 | P | Silver Dollar | Proof | 223,737 | $125 |
| 2019 | P | $1 5-Ounce Silver | Proof | 68,259 | $400 |
| 2019 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Uncirculated | 12,035 | $650 |
| 2019 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Proof | 34,037 | $700 |
| 2019 | D & S | Clad Half Dollar | Set | Included | $115 |
