Apollo 11 Launch Commemorative Coin

On July 16, 1969, crowds of onlookers gathered near the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral as NASA successfully launched a Saturn V rocket propelling the Apollo 11 spacecraft out of Earth's orbit. Carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 began its remarkable 8 day journey to circle the moon, land on the lunar surface, and return to Earth.

Prior to the 1960s, the public paid little attention to the U.S. space program. But when the Soviets launched the first artificial satellite, followed a few years later by the first manned space mission, Americans were shocked to find out that the U.S. might be losing the Space Race.

When John F. Kennedy took office in 1961, he realized that U.S. dominance in space was crucial for global prestige and strategic power in the Cold War that had been causing tension between the two superpowers for more than a decade. After strongly urging Congress to increase funding for NASA, Kennedy delivered his famous speech at Rice University, declaring that the U.S. would land a man on the moon and bring him home again before the end of the decade:

"We choose to go to the Moon in thisdecade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

More than 600 million people around the world watched in awe as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to step foot on the surface on the moon. The historic launch of the Apollo 11 mission marked the beginning of the end of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. And although Kennedy did not live to see the triumphant culmination of the mission, it was his belief in the space program and its importance to the pride and standing of the nation that rallied the public to support this crowning achievement in space flight.

Available exclusively from American Mint, this limited-edition coin is plated in .999 pure silver and accented in 24kgold. Minted to the highest quality "Proof" standard, it features a highly detailed engraving of Apollo 11 launching from the Kennedy Space Center for its historic flight on the obverse. The reverse features the image of Neil Armstrong's footprint on the lunar surface and the words "Apollo 11" accented in brilliant 24k gold. As an astute collector, you understand the value of owning this special-edition coin.