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Author
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Topic: New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-08-2010 02:50 PM
   
From the Nov. 15, 2010 issue of Coin World with regards to the Congressional Gold medal for Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and John Glenn. Astronauts gold medalThe [Citizens Coinage Advisory] committee bowed to the wishes of four of the nation's first astronauts, endorsing an obverse design for a congressional gold medal to honor their exploits in space.  The medal honors John Glenn for becoming the first American to orbit the Earth in space on Feb. 20 1962, and the Apollo 11 moon landing mission of Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins in July 1969. By a large margin, the CCAC endorsed a design favored by the astronauts, giving their selection 25 out of a possible 27 points. (More committee members were present when the medal was discussed than had been present for the review of the coin designs.) But the committee dissented from the requested reverse for the medal, giving no votes to the astronauts' preferred design and recommending another design. The CCAC's preferred design features a lunar lander hovering over the moon and a Mercury capsule over the Earth. It received 20 out of the possible 27 votes. Committee members also voted to remove the language "Act of Congress, 2009" from the medal by a 5 to 4 vote. It also voted unanimously to urge that the quote "We Came in Peace" on the reverse be expanded to add the words "For All Mankind." These are the words on a plaque left on the moon by Armstrong and Aldrin. Much of the hour-long debate over the medal dealt with the role of astronaut Michael Collins, whom Michael Brown decried as "the most under appreciated astronaut." During the mission, Collins remained above in orbit around the moon in the command module while Armstrong and Aldrin explored the moon's surface. The CFA [Commission of Fine Arts] has agreed to back the same obverse and reverse recommended by the CCAC. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-09-2010 07:49 AM
Coin Update News shares more details about the vote by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, which led to their recommending the design reported by Coin World. Here are the four obverse and seven reverse designs that were under consideration (via Coin Update News).  
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cddfspace
Member Posts: 609
From: Morris County, NJ, USA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 11-09-2010 10:46 AM
Do we know which reverse was preferred by the astronauts that was rejected? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-09-2010 10:59 AM
According to Coin World, the astronauts' preferred reverse received no votes and according to Coin Update News, designs 6 and 7 both received zero votes, so we can narrow it to one of those two... |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3446
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 11-09-2010 01:36 PM
I can just see the selected reverse giving rise to the hypothetical debate, "What if Mercury 10 was sent to the moon with an early LEM?" |
cspg
Member Posts: 6213
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-09-2010 02:39 PM
All designs would make nice coins/medallions- but I guess none would be made available to the public (non-gold ones, that is), right? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-09-2010 02:46 PM
Per the bill that authorized the gold medals being awarded: The Secretary of the Treasury may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold medal struck pursuant to section 3 under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses, and the cost of the gold medal. ...which is to say, yes, the U.S. Mint can offer bronze copies of the gold medal to the public, as they have done before. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-16-2011 08:41 AM
The U.S. Mint will offer 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) and 3-inch (7.6 cm) bronze replicas of the New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal beginning at 11:00 a.m. CST (1700 GMT) on Nov. 16 for $7.95 and $44.95 respectively.
Credit: NASA/Stephanie Schierholz |
tnperri
Member Posts: 453
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 11-16-2011 11:03 AM
Got my order in. Thanks for the heads up. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-16-2011 11:14 AM
For those ordering, note that the U.S. Mint offers separately display boxes for its 1.5-inch and 3-inch medals. These cases are on backorder however, until Nov. 30. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6213
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-16-2011 01:33 PM
Robert, thanks a lot for all the info and links. Much appreciated. |
tnperri
Member Posts: 453
From: Malvern, Ohio
Registered: Jun 2011
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posted 11-23-2011 06:42 PM
Got mine in the mail today. Nice. |
Apollo 8
Member Posts: 176
From: Vienna, Austria
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 11-30-2011 06:42 AM
I received mine today! Beautiful!I like the backside of the medal with moon rising behind earth, the Mercury capsule and the LM. This would have been nice for a commemorative patch too! Unfortunately there is none... |
mikelynaugh
Member Posts: 25
From: Akron, OH, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-13-2012 09:52 PM
I just received my coins the other day and was a little disappointed and had a question that I hoped you guys could help me with.I picked up the 1.5 inch version and was surprised to see how subtle the details look. I collect coins and have even gotten another 1.5 inch coin from the US Mint (Tuskegee Airmen Medal), and the only way I can see the details in this new coin is if I stand at just the right angle and just the right light. I have three coin cases that hang on my wall and it is very hard to see just how nice this coin really is. I was thinking about picking up the 3 inch version, but I am curious if it more closely resembles the photos on the U.S. Mint page and above? I love the design of this coin, but I want to be able to show it off with the rest of my collection without telling people they have to stand "over here" to see it. Please let me know what you guys think about the 3 inch version. |
DSeuss5490
Member Posts: 299
From: Columbus, Ohio USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 03-13-2012 10:00 PM
I would agree that I was very disappointed with the 1.5 inch version. I also bought a 3" medal and the detail is 1000% better in my opinion and closely resembles the photos — and at about 9 ounces (weighed on my postal scale) its quite a heavy, impressive coin. |
mikelynaugh
Member Posts: 25
From: Akron, OH, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-13-2012 10:30 PM
Ok good, so I am not crazy, and it is worth the money for the bigger one. My only problem is that the 3 inch won't fit in my case with all my other coins, so that is a pain, but I am happy to hear the details are there on the large version. Thanks for your quick reply. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6213
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 03-14-2012 01:54 AM
quote:
Originally posted by DSeuss5490:
I would agree that I was very disappointed with the 1.5 inch version. I also bought a 3" medal and the detail is 1000% better in my opinion and closely resembles the photos
I agree.
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mikelynaugh
Member Posts: 25
From: Akron, OH, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 03-17-2012 11:57 AM
I received my 3 inch medallion today, and first off I couldn't believe how quickly the Mint shipped it. But most importantly, WOW, now THIS is what I am talking about. I am much happier with this coin. The details are all there, and it really is heavy. I wish it fit in my case with my other coins, but I gotta say it looks awfully nice sitting here on my desk. Thanks for your help guys. |
jeffbassett
Member Posts: 109
From: Toledo
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 08-28-2012 10:46 AM
I never picked up one of these and decided to get one this week. The price has lowered to $39.95. I don't know how much longer these are suppose to be available, so thought it would be worth a bumped post. |
spaceman1953
Member Posts: 953
From: South Bend, IN
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 08-28-2012 08:06 PM
I always was pleasantly surprised at how nice the smaller ones were, so I took advantage of my limited funds and ordered a few of those.I bet the big ones are REALLY nice! I have seen the small ones for Charles Schultz, Ted Hesburgh and the Billy Grahams. |
TRS
Member Posts: 721
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 08-28-2012 11:48 PM
Just ordered mine - how on earth did I miss these before? Agreed that many organisations (NASA included) could take a leaf out of the mint's ease of ordering process for us international buyers! |
jeffbassett
Member Posts: 109
From: Toledo
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 09-08-2012 07:42 PM
Ordered min on the 28th, arrived today on the 9th. A non descriptive box with just the coin itself, but the 3 inch coins is beautifully rendered. Definitely worth getting if you can. I also received the 1.5 inch coin however the reliefs are so flat against the coin you can almost only make the artwork out with the right light facing the coin. The details get lost due to the poor striking and lack of depth of the imprints. This is a newly minted one and the die may be at the end life cycle as i was disappointed at how poorly you can make out the design on the 1.5 inch diameter coin. So, if you do decide to get one, go with the 3 inch coin, really the by far best way to get a great display piece. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 43191
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-08-2012 07:52 PM
quote:
Originally posted by jeffbassett:
A non descriptive box with just the coin itself...
I highly recommend ordering the Mint's display box as it compliments and enhances the medal's appearance (there's a version for the 1.5 inch medal, too). |
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