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Weird.

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  • theboz11theboz11 Posts: 6,576 ✭✭✭
    indeed, I thought the only verified moon rocks were at nasa or in the safe of that asteroid collector out in Arizona.
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  • tychojoetychojoe Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭
    Yes, I really like the idea of modeling the lunar surface appearance. But a very curious finish on it. Kinda' cool, but the finish looks still experimental or incomplete. Kinda' more ugly than it is not. And I hope all bidders realize the difference between moonstone and real stones from the moon! It would be attractive without the moonstone window.

    << verified moon rocks >> You are right -- they have only put the semi-precious gem "moonstone" in this coin. Moonstone is a type of translucent and lustrous feldspar, of Earth not the Moon.
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  • tychojoetychojoe Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭
    Definitely belongs on the "darkside" forum image

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  • ajaanajaan Posts: 17,586 ✭✭✭✭✭
    As pointed out, a moonstone and stone from the moon, are not the same thing. And yes, weird but cool.

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  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 2,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, it's actual moon rock, albeit of meteoric origin, not collected directly from the moon. I think the seller's imperfect English and/or poor marketing by whoever made it is to blame for the confusion between "moonstone" and "moon rock":


    << <i>Besides, on the reverse of this coin a real moonstone is inlaid; a piece of the Lunar meteorite NWA 4881. A Lunar meteorite is a meteorite that is known to have originated on the Moon. Lunar origin is established by comparing the mineralogy, the chemical composition, and the isotopic composition between meteorites and samples from the Moon collected by the Apollo missions. >>


    Lunar meteorites are uncommon, but available for purchase to the general public. NWA 4881 was a half-kilogram meteorite found in 2005 (NWA stands for North West Africa, where the meteorite was found), one of 13 confirmed Lunar meteorites on record. I say "was", because it's apparently been chopped up into zillions of tiny pieces for sale to the public. You can buy a similar-sized piece in non-coin-form from places like here for about US$40.
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  • OzzyAndyOzzyAndy Posts: 344
    Did I miss something, what did Cook Islands contribute to moon exploration or research? I'm sick of these tiny places putting other countries themes on their coins, just to raise revenue.
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  • SapyxSapyx Posts: 2,356 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's not so much the countries pushing these; it's the mint corporations. Their marketing departments think up some brilliant gimmick they think the collectors will buy. Then they go shopping around their client states and flags of convenience, looking for a government that will rubber-stamp their idea and legitimise their "coin", in exchange for a small slice of the profits. Among the impoverished countries of Africa and the Pacific, they usually have no trouble finding one.
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  • PreussenPreussen Posts: 2,307 ✭✭✭
    Not my cup of tea. -Preussen
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  • satootokosatootoko Posts: 2,720 ✭


    << <i>strange. Very strange. >>

    Not to mention Ug-Lee!
    Roy


    image
  • wybritwybrit Posts: 6,988 ✭✭✭
    That's one small step for commoditization of numismatics.

    One giant leap for inanity.
    Former owner, Cambridge Gate collection.
  • tychojoetychojoe Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭


    << <i>No, it's actual moon rock, albeit of meteoric origin, not collected directly from the moon. I think the seller's imperfect English and/or poor marketing by whoever made it is to blame for the confusion between "moonstone" and "moon rock":

    "a piece of the Lunar meteorite NWA 4881."

    You can buy a similar-sized piece in non-coin-form from places like here for about US$40. >>



    You're right, Sapyx! Thanks. I scanned right past that bit in their listing about the fragment being from a meteorite, NWA 4881.
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  • zeebobzeebob Posts: 2,825 ✭


    << <i>Did I miss something, what did Cook Islands contribute to moon exploration or research? I'm sick of these tiny places putting other countries themes on their coins, just to raise revenue. >>



    Perhaps they should grow poppies? I hear that worked out well for Afghanistan...

    Rumor is Columbia had another alternative.

    Maybe they should develop and export arms (oops, that's a lightside topic) (well, USA and N. Korea).

    Selling commemorative coins is a nice civilized way to raise a few extra funds to pay for the local bureaucracy.

    Besides, how cool is it to have the moon's surface modeled like that on a coin? Very cool.

    edited: to make "moons" possessive - "moon's".
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