Continuing the What If? Apollo 11 story...On August 5, 1969, future US President, Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (R-MI) introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to "provide for the issuance of a commemorative half dollar in honor of the Apollo 11 flight and the astronauts who made it." The bill was referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency.
Ford's bill was unlike the not-intended-for-circulation (NIFC) commemorative half dollar bills that had come before it. In keeping with the recently-introduced copper-nickel clad
US coinage being issued, the bill called for
non-silver half dollars. Per Ford, the new coin
was not intended "to supplant the
Kennedy half dollar nor would it circulate in competition with it and thus create confusion. The moon mission half dollar could be obtained only by placing an order with the Treasury Department, which would sell the coins at a price not to exceed $1." The new coin was to be struck as a proof; it was a true NIFC coin.
In terms of designs, the half dollar would feature depictions of the mission crew - Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins - on its obverse and the lunar module on the moon on its reverse. During his supporting remarks, Ford credited Hugh Downs of the "Today" show as the person who initiated the coin idea.
Apollo 11 Crew - (L to R) Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
(Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Public Domain.)Orders were to be accepted for the coin through December 31, 1970, with orders accepted by the Mint/Treasury from anywhere in the world. Ford stated, "I felt this was appropriate since the Apollo 11 moon mission really belongs to the world. As Neil Armstrong said, it was "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." I think people throughout the world should have an opportunity to buy a moon mission half dollar."
Ford concluded his remarks with: "I think the half dollar is the ideal coin for a moon mission commemorative coin because in a sense it will honor not only all our Apollo astronauts - including the late Roger Chaffee of Grand Rapids, Mich [Chaffee was among those who died in the Apollo 1 fire, all three crew members - Command Pilot Gus Grissom, Senior Pilot Ed White and Pilot Roger B Chaffee - died during a launch rehearsal test] but also the late President John F. Kennedy. We all recall that it was Jack Kennedy who in ringing tones told the world America would put men on the moon before the end of this decade. We have realized that dream. We have accomplished that objective. I think Jack Kennedy would have been proud to have a moon flight half dollar memorialize the reaching of his goal."
Ford's bill did not specify a recipient for any potential net proceeds from the coin, nor did it set a mintage limit - a mint-to-demand scenario.
Unfortunately, Ford's bill was never reported out of Committee nor considered by the full House. The idea for an affordable commemorative coin available to anyone who wanted one did not have enough appeal to win approval in Congress. IMO, it was a large mistake. What more perfect subject for a commemorative coin could there be than one of the seminal events of the 20th century!
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Unpacks Experiments from Lunar Module
(Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Public Domain.)For a story about the proposed circulating Apollo 11 half dollar, see:
What If? 1969 Apollo 11 - Part IFor other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including many more What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 04/17/2023 08:45 am
