2019 Apollo 11 commemorative...

BackroadJunkie

[See edits at the end of this post... Or jump to this post...

Coinnews.net is reporting the final design for the Apollo 11 commemorative will be unveiled on Oct 11 at the Smithsonian.

coinnews:2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Design Unveiling Ceremony Oct. 11

The ceremony will be live-streamed at 10:30am (Eastern time) on October 11:
https://airandspace.si.edu/connect/air-and-space-live

The authorizing law can be found here: PUBLIC LAW 114–282—DEC. 16, 2016

The coins will be curved, much like the Baseball HoF commeoratives. Like the BBHoF commems, all coins will have a common obverse and reverse.

The law allows the following mintage:
50,000 90% $5 gold coins (proof and uncirc)
400,000 90% $1 silver coins (proof and uncirc)
750,000 50¢ clad coins (proof and uncirc)
100,000 .999 $1 silver 5ozt pucks (in proof only)

The reverse was pretty much chosen by the CCAC and the CFS back in June.

The current obverses:

You can find better images of the designs here:
coinnews:Obverse Apollo 11 Candidate Designs Unveiled

I'm definitely in for the 5ozt puck, regardless of design. The other coins will be decided on after the obverse is chosen.

This issue will probably be the most popular in recent memory (after the BBHoF coins.)

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Edits:
(Oct 12, 2018) The obverse was chosen:

Coin World is also reporting a two coin set:

The Mint will offer a limited-edition two-coin half dollar set restricted to a product limit of 100,000 sets and a household ordering limit of five sets.

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.

The Kennedy will only be offered in this set.

Zoins

@BackroadJunkie said:
The reverse was pretty much chosen by the CCAC and the CFS back in June.

A gold one, or a silver one with selective gold plating would be cool.

Kudbegud

This kudbegud. I'll be watching.

I like this obverse the best

Coinstartled

Reverse looks cartoonish, but I will be a buyer.

drei3ree

+1 on the boot print! I'm a buyer of many of the proof gold.

Cameonut

Other than the boot print, I am totally unimpressed.

What is going on with modern coin designs?

BryceM

I remember looking at these before. The event is worthy. The designs are pathetic! Clip-art cartoons at best. The worst ones are utterly laughable.

jmski52

I like the Apollo launch obverse, last on the above pic, first in the link.

http://www.coinnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Artist-167-Obverse-Apollo-11-Commemorative-Coin-Design.jpg

RWM

I haven't bought a modern commemorative in a few years and I will be in for at least one of the gold coins. All of the moderns commemorative coins aren't as bad as some make them out to be (and yes, some really are). I do like a few of the reverse designs, so fingers crossed.

ricko

I have always been fascinated by the space program, all aspects, from manned exploration to the Mars rovers and beyond. That being said, I do not think I will get one of these coins...maybe after I see them as real coins... not really impressed with the line drawings. Cheers, RickO

TomB

The drawings always worry me as the renditions are today done with so many shades and shadows and clip-art effects that I do not know translate well to three-dimensional metal. Obviously, it would require more time and work, but being able to see a plaster might be much better for picking out what works well on coinage. Of course, for most folks this is likely not so much an issue and might only be an issue for we who are coin geeks.

koynekwest

I, too like the boot print obverse. I like the reverse, too. I'll be getting at least one and almost certainly more..

Paradisefound

From an artist's eye ..... the texture (ground) should be extended on the entire reverse and incuse the letters

@Kudbegud said:
This kudbegud. I'll be watching.

I like this obverse the best

BackroadJunkie

@Kudbegud said:
This kudbegud. I'll be watching.

I like this obverse the best

It's better than the dead astronaut one...

1630Boston

https://youtu.be/RONIax0_1ec

DCW

When will we get back to hand making artistic coins? These computer generated designs make me gag!

BackroadJunkie

@TomB said:
The drawings always worry me as the renditions are today done with so many shades and shadows and clip-art effects that I do not know translate well to three-dimensional metal. Obviously, it would require more time and work, but being able to see a plaster might be much better for picking out what works well on coinage. Of course, for most folks this is likely not so much an issue and might only be an issue for we who are coin geeks.

Yep. And with today's tools, it might not be that hard to get a digital 3D representation. It would be better than a cartoon.

I don't think the shadowing is a problem. All the commems for a while now have been multi-frosted, with up to 2 or 3 different frosting effects, which sorta translates to giving the coin few different "colors" or shades.

But a couple of things about this commem.

First, it's going to be curved. The BBHoF coins were a no-brainer with the ball and glove. The reverse of this coin makes sense, but by the same token, the obverse should make sense as well. The obvious choice would have been the Moon, but hey, I'm no artist. (There's one reverse that comes close, but then the artist futzes up the design. I think one of the great things about the BBHoF coin was the simplistic design...)

Second, it's going to have a common reverse/obverse from a 3/4" gold to a 3" puck. It's going to have to look good on four different sized coins.

They Mint's been doing a pretty good job on the 5oz ATB's lately, a proof issue with multi-layers of frosting could look spectacular. I hope they don't screw it up...

OldEastside

I like the footprint, and it makes me wonder if @dcarr has anything cool planned

Steve

FullStrike

I really don't know of any good reason they need to be using a common design on 4 different Coins. I'll probably be a non-participant on this Coin Event but as a Click Junkie I might slip up. Too early to predict what I'll actually do.

7Jaguars

Yikes! Pass. Really now, nothing better?

BStrauss3

@FullStrike said:
I really don't know of any good reason they need to be using a common design on 4 different Coins.

Because the law said to?

JeffersonFrog

The footprint reminds me of the Circus Bugs in the movie "It's a Bugs Life"

SkyMan

But, but, but... I thought it was all a hoax???

One of my favorite all time pix of the space program... and it would fit nicely on a coin. You can even see the shockwave on the Saturn V as it goes supersonic. Yet, here we end up with the above grouping of choices.

FWIW, I like the following designs (see @BackroadJunkie 's coinnews link to get the design numbers); 167 (although I think it's too busy for a coin... it'd need to be toned down), 265 and 308.

Unknown

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mrcommem

The designs are just horrible. The mint artists need to get back to old time techniques. This computerized crap looks cheap. The boot print is the only design I would consider. Maybe less denominations and better designs instead of all the childish cartoonlike options.

cmerlo1

I don't like any of the obverses. Whatever is chosen, I'm confident the mint will find a way to make it even more terrible.

Twobitcollector

I like 308

WillieBoyd2

I still like the "Dancing Spacesuit" design:

7Jaguars

I like 308 also, but WAY TO WORDY with the legends.

Kudbegud

What BS
I got up at 4:30 am to watch live as promoted. Nothing live streamed on the links provided. What a let down.

Was anyone able to watch the live stream?

RogerB

Nothing evocative or inspirational - just trite commercial art ready for the breakfast cereal box.

JeffersonFrog

It looks like the footprint won.

ctf_error_coins

Awesome "wide-angle lens view" design, very cool.

Add the footprint and a very nice artistic piece.

Kudbegud

Just posted on Twitter

Cameonut

@ErrorsOnCoins said:
Awesome "wide-angle lens view" design, very cool.

Add the footprint and a very nice artistic piece.

If I understand you correctly, I think the design is actually supposed to be a reflection off the mirrored surface of the facemask of a space suit..

PipestonePete

koynekwest

I am quite satisfied with the design of the coins.

GRANDAM

Dan has made some neat Astronaut coins.

bugbit

Glad they are doing something else with the curved coins. I'm a big fan of the baseball HOF coin. I think the curved helmet is genius. I can't wait for these to come out. I see another instant sellout in the future.

P.S. if anyone finds a doubled footprint can we pleeeaaase call it the "two-step"?

Kudbegud

I agree Grandam. In fact this is one of my favorites overall

FullStrike

The Commemorative Halves should be released as a small premium issue alongside the Kennedy's. Right now, these Halves are too high at around $20 each. If you buy in, all you look forward to is a large drop in value.

GRANDAM

@Kudbegud said:
I agree Grandam. In fact this is one of my favorites overall

I have one similiar to this coin but mine is all brass color,,,,, no silver color inserts.

Kudbegud

I may have a brass one. The bi-metalic has a silver center, which I'd love to see the mint do for this commemorative.

koynekwest

@FullStrike said:
The Commemorative Halves should be released as a small premium issue alongside the Kennedy's. Right now, these Halves are too high at around $20 each. If you buy in, all you look forward to is a large drop in value.

Yes-I think a circulating coin would be a good idea, even if they would be instantly hoarded (like the 2009 Lincolns.)

BackroadJunkie

From Coin World:

There will be a special two coin set, with a product limit of 100K and a HHL of 5...

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.

coinworld: U.S. Mint unveils designs for 2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary commemorative coins

An "Enhanced Reverse Proof 2019-S clad Kennedy"? SMH... Yeah, JFK launched the Moon program, but why not make the JFK half curved and make my day? (The commem will already be a "Enhanced Reverse Proof". I guess anything to try to improve those clad sales...)

The Kennedy will be exclusive to this set.

Coinstartled

@Paradisefound said:
From an artist's eye ..... the texture (ground) should be extended on the entire reverse and incuse the letters

@Kudbegud said:
This kudbegud. I'll be watching.

I like this obverse the best

...and Justacommemman could have designed a better looking shoe.

kiyote

@FullStrike said:
The Commemorative Halves should be released as a small premium issue alongside the Kennedy's. Right now, these Halves are too high at around $20 each. If you buy in, all you look forward to is a large drop in value.

Commem halves from the mint are now 31 bucks a pop.. for the cheapest, uncirculated option.

53BKid

@kiyote said:

@FullStrike said:
The Commemorative Halves should be released as a small premium issue alongside the Kennedy's. Right now, these Halves are too high at around $20 each. If you buy in, all you look forward to is a large drop in value.

Commem halves from the mint are now 31 bucks a pop.. for the cheapest, uncirculated option.

Love your enthusiasm, or lack thereof. The half set sells out. Quite clever in their marketing a unique Kennedy.

BryceM

Well, they went with the best option they had.

I think maybe I'll pass & get one in a few years on the secondary market if I just have to have it.

RWM

Compared to recent designs I think this will do well.

COCollector

Love the revised footprint (left) -- especially the angle.

But I'm not sure the image will look good extended to the coin's edge. At least it looks like an improvement in the drawing.