The Apollo 11 mission to the moon launched on July 16, 1969, landed on the moon on July 20, 1969 and returned to earth on July 24, 1969. Of course, such a never-before-event had an impact on society around the world.
As the Apollo 11 astronauts prepared for their return to earth, members of Congress rose to extol the virtues of the accomplishment in general, of American technical prowess, of individual State contributions and of the worldwide reach and impact of the mission.
Tom Bevill (D-AL) concluded his comments with the salient:
"And when the glory of this new accomplishment fades with time, we pray that mankind will continue to strive for the same purpose expressed by our three astronauts, Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins, on the plaque placed on the moon's surface yesterday.
The plaque reads,
We came in peace for all mankind."
Apollo 11 Lunar Plaque - Replica
In 2019, the US issued a three-coin commemorative program to recognize the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon (some other nations also joined in the anniversary celebration with one or more commemorative coins). If certain Congressman had had their way back in 1969, however, Apollo 11 would have been celebrated much sooner!
In the US Congress, it took just a week for a bill intended to honor the mission with a commemorative coin made its way to the House. Robert Randolph Casey (D-TX) introduced a bill to "provide that the half dollar shall bear the official symbol of the Apollo 11 flight" - he introduced the bill on July 31. The bill called for a circulating commemorative half dollar with "upon one side the inscription WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND and the official design prescribed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as emblematic of the Apollo 11 flight, and on the other side an appropriate design to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury."
Apollo 11 Official Insignia
(Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Public Domain.)Potentially, the Secretary could have kept the John F. Kennedy (JFK) portrait on such a coin's obverse and replaced the Heraldic Eagle design on the reverse with the prescribed Apollo 11 theme. IMO, this would have made for a very appropriate commemorative considering how much JFK was a catalyst for the US space program and its efforts to reach the moon.
From JFK's address at Rice University on September 12, 1962:
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win."
JFK at Rice University
(Image Credit: Space Center Houston. Fair Use, education.)The bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency. It was never reported out of Committee or considered further. Too bad, I think it would have been a popular circulating commemorative piece!
It would not be the only attempt at a contemporary Apollo 11 commemorative half dollar, however...
For more of the story, see:
What If? 1969 Apollo 11 - Part IIFor other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including many more What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 04/17/2023 08:18 am
