Not too sure if this should be classifed a coin but anywho, I was given this by a friend at work as he said he'd had it kicking around for a while and didn't care about or want it. I've looked up coins like this on the internet but I've yet to find one that's the same. It's quite big, about 4.8 - 5 cm in diameter and about half a centimetre thick. Without further ado, the pictures!
I have a ton of this stuff, but I am not on top of the details. Does the medal (not coin: medal) have anything on the edge? I do not see any hallmarks, designer's monogram, etc., on the obverse or reverse. The date July 20, 1969 is in the European style 20. 7. 1969. The Lunar Lander looks more like a Voshkod than an American product. Therefore, this is not an American medal, which puts it further beyond me. The eagle's head is flat. You do not get that kind of wear on a medal, usually. A nice, US made Franklin Mint or Medallic Arts Company medal for Apollo might be priced at an optimistic $10, with $3 being the dealer's pain level. I paid about $5 each for everthing I own that size. Unless you can scan the paper better and provide a maker, it is hard to assign much value to this. Tons of junk were made to celebrate perhaps the greatest technical achievement of humanity.
I agree, the LEM looks very crude, but as you can see from this link, the eagle (obverse or reverse) seems to be accurate in nature as the genuine insignia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11 On another note, I thought the moon landing was a hoax. BTW, the date format the 'Europeans' use as suggested above. Im of the opinion that it makes perfect sence. Day/Month/Year,..smallest unit of measure to the highest..it removes all uncertainty.
The Lunar Module looks crude in that rendition, but part of the reason is this... it is pictured during blastoff from the moon. The Ascent Stage is lifting off... that's a plume of exhaust "connecting" it to the Descent Stage, which served as a launch pad. BTW... the Ascent Stage's engine bell was much smaller than pictured. It's didn't need much thrust... the moon's gravity is only 1/6th that of Earth.
I have one like this too. It was given to me by a colleague who purchased it at the time (1969) from the retailer Jaspen Products, Auckland, New Zealand. They are no longer in business. I doubt it was made here, so they would just have sold the coin. It is quite heavy and the edges are smooth, which makes me wonder if it is not struck from gunmetal.
That's a really, really neat piece! The obverse is naturally reminiscent of an Ike, making it extra cool! To me anyway.... Thank you for presenting it. Very nice! -L
Don't tell me you bought that "story" in the National Enquirer about the moon landing being a hoax? NFN, the military uses that date set up as well.
Lots of commemorative items were produced to honor this event, some of high quality and some others. Apollo 11 Medal - Medallic Arts (Copper 38mm) FIRST LANDING ON THE MOON / JULY 20, 1969 THE APOLLO 11 MISSION COMMEMORATING THE HISTORIC FIRST FLIGHT TO LAND MEN ON THE MOON Richard Nixon said it really happened, who wouldn't believe him?
What makes you think the obverse is Eagle/ moon side of this medal ? I think the obverse is more likely the other side with the date.
Doug- At the time I was writing it I glanced at a quarter with its dates on the reverse and went with it. A definite leap there, and I have no idea which is reverse or obverse. -L
There are a bazillion (that's a technical term ) medallions, coins etc. etc. out there honoring Apollo 11. For the most part, they are sold at what their precious metal melt value is, plus some relatively minimal markup. I was offered an attractive medal set at the ANA, that had ~ $730 of silver in it, for $775, and that was the opening asking price. If the medallions are a base metal then realistically you are looking at somewhere in the 1 cent to $10 range based on how attractive the design is, how much you want it, and how badly the dealer wants to unload his inventory. For the most part I'd guess they'd sell in the $1 to $5 range. Lionel, the reverse of the Ike dollar, and the SBA dollar for that matter, are modified versions of the Apollo 11 mission patch. The obverse of the above medallion is also a modified version of the Apollo 11 mission patch.
