A new series of space-themed coins honouring the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing are on the horizon in the U.S.
On Dec. 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to mint a commemorative coin marking the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo moon landing.
If passed by U.S. Senate, the bill—titled H.R. 2726 and known as the “Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act”—would require the treasury to produce several convex coins to “more closely resemble the visor of the astronaut’s helmet of the time.” The denominations include $5 gold coins; $1 silver coins; half-dollar clad coins; and $1 Proof silver coins. The bill also notes the treasury will hold a contest to choose the designs, which must be “emblematic of the United States space program.”
SENATE APPROVAL
In order for the bill to pass, U.S. Senate must unanimously vote on its approval before incoming President Donald Trump can sign it into law.
The coins would be sold with a $10-$50 surcharge, the proceeds of which would benefit the “Destination 3 Moon” exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum; the Astronauts Memorial Foundation; and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
The bill also explains the planned coins “will not result in any net cost to the United States Government.”