Gary Cooper’s award-winning coin. Burwell and Burwell Photography
Astronaut Neil Armstrong described his first step on the moon in 1969 as a small step for man and giant leap for mankind. All these years later, that small step also represents a giant leap for Belfast artist Gary Cooper, who won top honors in an international competition for his design of the silver coin, issued by the U.S. Mint, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar mission.
The coin’s backside, designed by the U.S. Mint. Burwell and Burwell Photography
Cooper’s coin won the Coin of the Year competition conducted by World Coin News. The program recognizes outstanding coin designs and innovations worldwide. The coin also won for Best Silver Coin and Best Contemporary Event Coin.
Cooper designed the front of the 5-ounce silver dollar coin in 2018 with an imprint of the image of Armstrong’s spacesuit boot on the lunar surface. He based his design on a photo of the boot print taken by fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin. His design includes the inscriptions “MERCURY,” “GEMINI” and “APOLLO,” separated by phases of the moon, to indicate the missions of the U.S. space program beginning in 1961 that resulted in the lunar landing. The U.S. Mint’s chief engraver, Joseph F. Menna, adapted Cooper’s concept for the coin.
The back side of the coin, or the tail side, is a representation of the “Buzz Aldrin on the Moon” photograph showing the visor and part of Aldrin’s helmet, as well as the the reflection of Armstrong, the flag, and the lunar lander. It was created by Phebe Hemphill, a sculptor and engraver from the mint.
The coin is unique because it is curved with the three-dimensional effect. According to mint, it is the first U.S. coin of its size and weight with a proof finish, reeded edge and curved shape. A proof finish indicates the finest-quality coins produced by the mint. It was released in 2019. In addition to being issued as a 5-ounce silver dollar, it was issued as a $5 gold coin, a silver-dollar coin and a clad half-dollar coin.
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