Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin designs
SkyMan
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Here are the designs for the Christa McAuliffe $1 Commemorative Coin. I think it's a real shame that the rest of the astronauts aboard the Challenger aren't also commemorated somewhere on this coin (maybe put their names on the periphery of the obverse). After all, there were 6 others on the shuttle and they all died too.
IMO several of the obverse designs are ghastly. I kind of like the CM-O-04 design for the obverse.
The reverses in general are FAR too busy for my tastes, and/or inappropriate. I particularly oppose design CM-R-12 (and 12A), as not a single one of the books shown have anything to do with STEM, which is what McAuliffe flying aboard a shuttle was all about. If I HAD to make a choice, I guess, staying true to the "Teacher in Space" aspect of McAuliffe's flight, I'd picture CM-R-11A as my choice, as it shows a blackboard, a bunch of books and, "May Your Future Be Limited Only By Your Dreams". However, as I said, all of the reverses are too busy for my taste.
One of the ones that amused me, as someone who has taught, was CM-R-06, a picture of a space helmet and some phrases. I was quickly scanning the thumbnail pictures at first. In the center in script letters it says, "I Teach". However, at first glance I just looked at the center of the design and the script I sort of looks like steam vapor, and the faceplate of the space helmet looked like a coffee mug, and I thought How Appropriate! I know a lot of teachers that need their morning coffee to face their first class of the day.
https://usmint.gov/news/ccac-meetings/2021-christa-mcauliffe-commemorative-coin
Comments
While the disaster was a disaster for sure but I would rather see a Challenger commemorative than this particular selection. I suppose it doesn’t matter what I think, though. I’m sure some people will be happy and they should be.
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Pass.
+1
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She'd probably be aghast that her team wasn't commemorated equally for their shared sacrifice. It's a dishonor.
This item is a dishonor to the memory of the whole crew. Does the mint receive public comment? I'd like to express my concern. Peace Roy
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I like a number of the obverse portrait renditions. My favorite is probably CM-O-08 as its curves suggest a space helmet and I find it the most artistically bold. It's hard to know if it'll translate well to an actual coin, though. I agree that most of the reverses are too busy. My favorite is CM-R-05 as I think the design works and I find the crescent at the top (again) synergistic with a space theme.
The obverse CM0 04's look nice now, but I don't think will translate well to a coin. The other designs dont do much for me.
The reverse CM R 05, the rest are just not nice.
All that said, I'm not a buyer regardless, and it really should include the whole team in some way.
I like CMO 04 and CMR 04. But I agree that it's appropriate to honor the entire crew.
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Try again guys.
Not interested.
Pass. Not interested
I agree that the entire team should be represented....and if they want to recognize Christa individually as well... A suggestion might be to do the obverse with the team and the reverse with her image (or vice versa) and let her family select the image to be used. Cheers, RickO
It hard to believe that the Challenger disaster will have taken place 35 years ago in 2021. I still remember having a business lunch at the Roma Cafe in Detroit and having the waiter come up to us and tells us of the loss of the space shuttle.
I don't follow modern commemorative coin news so I don't know the reason behind this particular issue. There must be a reason why only Christa McAuliffe is being shown.
So far as the design goes, I prefer CM-0-06 for the obverse. It is simple, dignified and at least somewhat innovative in its presentation. The reverse designs are a bunch of cluttered messes. This is possibly because the reason behind the issue was not made clear to the designers.
I can see the mint selecting this lousy reverse:
https://www.usmint.gov/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/CM-R-06.jpg
The reverse designs are so bad they're good. Like those old 1950's B sci-fi movies; Cat-Women of the Moon.....Plan 9 from Outer Space....or Teenagers from Outer Space. I think Teenagers from Outer Space may have actually designed those coins. Anything's possible.
I remember seeing "Teenagers From Outer Space" when it was originally at the Nortown Theater in Chicago Heights, IL (Circa 1959-60). I'm surprised that you would not appreciate the artistry of that movie. It should have received an Academy Award nomination!
Though there have been some interesting modern designs... most leave me saddened and shaking my head.
Perhaps it is because of the methods now used to design and process the issues. It is now all computerized... cut and paste and move a few details here and there... and voila! a new coin or commemorative design. And of course add in the politically correct features. Use computers to cut the dies.... Result is the design feels 'sterile', and the result is not too far removed from the old USSR workers propaganda art in the 50's and 60's.... JMO.
In contrast, the old classic coins and commems had a lot of hand work and artistic work put into it... a lot of individuality... and the result may not have been 'perfect' but had much more appeal due to the individuality and originality of the artistic endeavor.
But... guess that is just the way it is now. Again... JMO and to each his own. Now get off my lawn!
Looks like the 95 Special Olympics dollar may have a challenger (pun intended) for the ugliest coin ever minted.
I don't like any of the designs and find this to be yet another example of The Emperor's New Clothes.
Sad.
ps - When did the triangle-circle-square teaching method (I had to Google it to find out what it was) become so mainstream it should be placed on U.S. coinage? Heck, it doesn't even have a Wikipedia article.
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I agree, somehow this is a dishonor to the whole crew. I wonder how the families of the other astronauts feel about this?
I do remember the day very well, very weird thing occurred that day that I will never forget. That Morning, me and a friend were into model rocketry at the time, and had went to launch a few rockets that we had been working on that morning. One of them exploded as in lifted off the launchpad. (it actually blew apart and shredded cardboard/wood.) Apparently is was a bad estes rocket engine I presume. Now this has happened over the years once or twice, but not that frequent an occurence. We had just got back in the house about the time they were launching the challenger, when it exploded. It has always gave me an eerie feeling about that day.
My childhood friend (Chris Hondros) has since passed as he was killed in Libya several years ago during some photojournalist work for getty images. Reason I brought that up as he was avid photographer even when were kids, and I believe there is a photo somewhere of the rocket I mentioned just as it was exploding on the liftoff. He used to photograph everything, always had a camera in his hand. I knew one day he would become a famous photojournalist, unfortuantely his life was cut far too short.
I just hope they don’t give her that sand blasted lizard skin effect the mint has been overusing since around 2013. Compare a 1987 proof gold eagle to one made in 2017 and you’ll see what I mean.
I find myself pretty much in agreement with Skyman on this one. I hate most of the designs. Obverse 4/4A is the only one I'd call presentable, and the reverses are mostly train wrecks, some horrific, with none that I like. They're so bad, in fact, that I'm surprised not to see Comic Sans used in any of them.
Also, memorializing a single crew member is anathema of the concept of a crew. "But she was a teacher!" So what? She was part of the crew and no more exhalted because of her background.
So glad I gave up the auto-pilot commem purchases in the early 90s when Ron Landis and the GMM started making their repros.
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I like CM-O-04B. Reminds me of an ancient Greek coin. I agree the coin can be viewed as a slight on the other astronauts that died that day. Like any commemorative though, the purpose behind it is to raise money. In this case, for the FIRST robotics program for kids. So in that sense it is commentating inspirational teachers, education, and STEM, not so much about the Challenger tragedy.
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A couple of the designs make her look like Beverly Goldberg.
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no thanks i'll pass
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Terrible, as usual. Designs should only be allowed to be submitted in sculpture form. The mint doesn't do a good job of making drawings into designs with relief, IMO.
They should let the Swedes do it.
It's hard to believe that this, among a number of other designs, is the best our country can come up with.
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Or maybe it's not so hard to believe. The appreciation and creation of fine art looks to be at a low point currently in our country. Or so it would seem if recent events are an indicator.
With all the bitching about the stuff the Mint is putting out maybe we just just return to the days when NO commems were minted. I personally think that many of the Mint's offerings are well designed, with an example being the Apollo coins. Of course some aren't well designed, too. It's a matter of personal choice but at least we have a choice.
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What can you say about a 37-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant?
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Interesting commemorative proof and uncirculated silver $1 Mint offering. I must say the first and biggest thing that hits me is Christa McAuliffe's beautiful hair. ....lots of detail there.
I'm still pondering the reverse
I'll be interested in hearing what others have to say about this Mint offering for 2021..... date TBD.
What's the deal with their faces on the reverse? Surely they can do better.
I havent bought a mint coin since the Statue of Liberty dollar in 1986. This coin wont change that behavior
Looking back in the thread....I thought this design was kind of cool.
I wouldn't be pointing up with a smile on my face
This coin is being promoted by Dean Kamen who runs the "FIRST" organization which benefits from the coin sales.
I remember Dean Kamen's appearances on the "60 Minutes" television program announcing the secret "world's greatest invention" which turned out to be the Segway.
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man, was super excited for this commem, and then saw all the designs ... not terribly impressed
couldn't even decide which obverse I thought was best - they were all a lil weird
and this was by far my fave reverse - shame they didn't end up going with it
so, even tho not a huge fan of this, I do like space coins and my niece is in FIRST robotics, so will be getting a set for her and a set for myself
The reverse is...... adjectives escape me....
Agree. Given the choices, the obverse is ok, but that reverse is...not.
Pass
Pass for me also.
The design they're going with.... will they someday be referenced & graded by the same "hair detail" often used for JFK halves?
I second everyone's comments regarding how she should not be singled-out from the rest of the crew.
But maybe the intent of the commemorative is not to memorialize the shuttle or accident, but is more to celebrate teaching & the inspiration it holds for future generations? If so, then I can see how the general obverse & reverse designs (although maybe not the specific designs chosen) "work".
And maybe "inspirational teachers" would make for the next great quarters (or, better yet, HALVES) multi-design/year series? Anne Sullivan (for Helen Keller), Christa McAuliffe (space/science), and dozens more, I'm sure......
My personal thoughts for the coin in question? I'd go with the '01' or '07' obverse, which has her in her flight suit vs a close-up - - as it better explains her inspirational role. And as for the reverse, I'd keep it with school kids, but I'd have them watching Challenger lift off the launch pad on TV, as most kids at school that sad day did (in classrooms or school auditoriums). Would be more impactful - - seeing the hopes and dreams of those students just moments before the disaster......
Wrong target... the subjects are picked by Congress.
I don't think any of the families would object to having the surcharge supporting teaching ... collectively the crew had four master's degrees and two doctorates. But not even mentioning the rest of the crew really frosts me.
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I actually like the obverse... it doesn’t have that flat mint-a-coin look to it that’s so many current ones do.
I collect the series, so I don’t really have a choice but I may wait to get them after market.
If the rendering of the obverse is true to the actual product, wow, might be one of the finest renderings of a 3/4 profile I've seen on a coin. Especially for a modern issue.
The Challenger explosion was the first major news story I can remember. I might be interested in this one.
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I noticed the pictures are loaded to the mint website. I typically see pictures a couple weeks before release, or if a expected release date was changed after pictures were loaded. I like the coin and plan to buy it, I like most everything space related. I was hoping they might release it on the anniversary of the disaster on Jan 28. Also excited for the peace and morgan dollars, just wish these all were released prior to the massive price increase last year.
Zero interest in the coins.
If it was a commerative for the Challenger itself I would likely have been interested, but the chosen design does not reflect what happened at all. if you do not know who she was, you would have zero idea who she was and why she has a coin being issued.
Apparently sales of the Christa McAuliffe coins have not done too well and Dean Kamen, the promoter, is unhappy.
From the New Hampshire Union Leader:
Dean Kamen issues 'call to action' to promote coins honoring Christa McAuliffe.
Dean Kamen is flummoxed. Flabbergasted, even.
Article:
https://www.unionleader.com/news/education/dean-kamen-issues-call-to-action-to-promote-coins-honoring-christa-mcauliffe/article_2f0733e9-8a69-54a4-9a14-f40b439abbaa.html
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My concern is - If the USM has GW on the Obverse & and the likeness of the selected female on the reverse - The USM has now officially made a Magician coin - 2 heads and no tails. What will the NFL do now?
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