1909 VDB penny is used as a calibration target on Mars Rover

MAT1 · January 28, 2013 8:40PM

The penny is a nod to geologists' tradition of placing a coin or other object of known scale as a size reference in close-up photographs of rocks, and it gives the public a familiar object for perceiving size easily when it will be viewed by MAHLI on Mars.
If this 1909 VDB penny ever makes is way back to Earth would be priceless, I think is a MS64BN

JedPlanchet · January 28, 2013 8:43PM

I love this - the ultimate slab! Now what kind of toning will it get in the Martian atmosphere?

morgansforever · January 28, 2013 10:04PM

Everyone knows the size of a Lincoln cent, makes sense to use it for a a size reference.
Awesome image, thanks for sharing.

UtahCoin · January 28, 2013 10:06PM

AT (Alien Toning)???

LanceNewmanOCC · January 29, 2013 12:29AM

<< <i>AT (Alien Toning)???

>>

+1
.

OldEastside · January 29, 2013 1:46AM

With the money they spent for all that equiptment. you'd think they could have sprung fo an "S"

Steve

CoinZip · January 29, 2013 1:52AM

That is awesome.

MAT1 · January 29, 2013 3:55AM

I think this is the first US Coin in space and for sure the first circulated coin to "land" on Mars.

johnny9434 · January 29, 2013 3:58AM

dumb question - is that supposed to come back to earth or is that gonna stay there until when ever?

MAT1 · January 29, 2013 4:22AM

<< <i>dumb question - is that supposed to come back to earth or is that gonna stay there until when ever? >>

Maybe when NASA send a manned mission to Mars in 2019 - they can retrieve the coin and bring it back.

1909 VDB penny is used as a calibration target on Mars Rover

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