1969 Medal Apollo XI Gold Aldrin, Armstrong, Collins

Coin Details

Description

The 1969 Apollo XI gold medal featuring Aldrin, Armstrong, and Collins is a small gold commemorative honoring the three astronauts of the first manned lunar landing mission. At just 15.6mm in diameter and weighing approximately 1.75 grams, this diminutive gold piece packs the full significance of one of humanity's greatest achievements into a format barely larger than a modern U.S. dime. The obverse features portraits or depictions of the three Apollo 11 crew members: Commander Neil Alden Armstrong, who became the first person to set foot on the Moon; Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin Jr., the second person on the lunar surface; and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, who orbited alone in Columbia while his crewmates explored the Sea of Tranquility below. Collins later described his solitary orbit as he passed behind the Moon and lost all contact with Earth and his crewmates: "I am now truly alone and absolutely alone from any known life." The reverse carries mission-related imagery with the date 1969. The small gold format with reeded edge reflects a category of commemorative medals that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, offering collectors genuine gold content at accessible price points. At approximately one-sixteenth of a troy ounce, the piece contains modest gold value but derives its significance from its subject matter and the quality of its miniature portraiture. The medal is cataloged by NGC under Medallic Art medals, indicating it was produced by the Medallic Art Company of Danbury, Connecticut — one of the premier private medal manufacturers in the United States during the Apollo era.

Rarity Notes

Small gold commemorative, produced by Medallic Art Company. Limited mintage typical of private gold medal issues. The small size and gold composition give it modest intrinsic value. Less commonly encountered than bronze and silver Apollo 11 medals.

Cross References

PCGS #974243; NGC #846574 (Medallic Art Medals); Apollo 11 mission July 16-24, 1969