Moon Landing and Australian Coins
By CAA | Saturday, 17 May 2025
On July 1969 (21 July AEST), Neil Armstrong descended from the Eagle lunar module, taking one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Images of the historic moon walk were captured on Earth by Australia's Parkes radio telescope and relayed to Mission Control in Houston for international broadcast. This event was commemorated on several Australian coins.
1 dollar 2004
In 2004, a 1 dollar coin was released commemorating the first moon walk 35 years before.
It was a 1oz pure silver, proof quality coin, struck at The Pert Mint. It was the world's first legal tender coin to feature Dynamic Imaging, a Kodak-developed technique used to create high-quality image effects.
Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, the coin's reverse incorporates 3 NASA pictures of Apollo 11's momentous mission.
- The Saturn Five space rocket
- Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's space suit
- The deployment of the United States flag on the surface of the moon by Armstrong and Aldrin
With Dynamic Imaging, these coloured images are interlaced into a single composite, which morphs one to another as viewing angle is changed. The words 35th anniversary of the first moon walk and the 2004 year-date are also included on the reverse.
The obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley's effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, and the monetary denomination.
Specifications
- Composition: Silver (1 troy oz)
- Fineness: 99.9%
- Weight: 31.135 g
- Diameter: 40.6 mm
- Thickness: 4 mm
1 dollar 2004 price guide and values
50 cents 2009
40 years before 2009, mankind made history with the famous first step on the Moon. In 1969, the Royal Australian Mint made its own history with the issue of the new dodecagonal 50 cent coin.
At a commemorative Apollo 11 anniversary event in Canberra, the Mint officially launched a new 50 cent collector coin to celebrate the historic moon landing in 1969.
The 2009 50c 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing coin was designed by Caitlin Goodall and depicts the lunar module in space on its way to Tranquillity base on the Moon. It was not released into circulation and was an exclusive numismatic collectible.
Taking the first step on a celestial body is arguably one of the human race's greatest achievements of all time.
Some of the first pictures from the Moon's surface were sent around the world from Honeysuckle Creek near Canberra and the Royal Australian Mint is proud to officially launch its newest coin to celebrate this occasion.
Watched by six hundred million people, it is still a classic memory for many and I am pleased to release a coin which gives each Australian the opportunity to hold a piece of history in their own hands.
It seemed fitting for the Royal Australian Mint to celebrate the 40th anniversary of man landing on the Moon with a 50 cent piece as 2009 marks 40 years of its circulation.
- Graham Smith, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint
The coin was also buried in a time capsule yesterday at Honeysuckle Creek along with other memorabilia, which will be dug up to mark the 100 year anniversary of Apollo 11 in 2069.
The first 50 cent piece was a round silver coin but was changed in 1969 to a cupro-nickel 12 sided coin because of the high silver prices and to make it easier to distinguish from the 20 cent coin.
The large diameter of the 50 cent coin has been a grand canvas to create numerous commemorative designs over the past years and has launched many of our customers on the road to collecting. Coins from the Royal Australian Mint, and the themes they acknowledge, are always great mementoes of our rich and proud heritage and culture.
- Graham Smith, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint
Specifications
- Composition: Cupro nickel (75% copper and 25% nickel)
- Weight: 15.55 g
- Diameter: 31.5 mm
- Obverse: Ian Rank Broadley
- Issue price: $7.95
50 cents 2009 price guide and values
In 2019, for the 50th anniversary, several coins were produced for the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing event.
5 dollars 2019
The Mint launched a new limited edition domed coins commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing with those who worked on the historic transmission of Apollo 11 in Australia.
Three coins were released including the world's first dome-shaped coloured nickel plated coin, a domed gold coin and a coloured silver domed coin as part of a collaborative set with the United States Mint.
The coins were launched by the Royal Australian Mint's CEO, Ross MacDiarmid with the support of Operations Scientist at CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope, Mr John Sarkissian; former Parkes radio telescope site electrician and driver, Ben Lam; former Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station Deputy Station Director, Mike Dinn; and Royal Australian Mint Coin Designer, Adam Ball.
We are honoured to share these unique coloured domed coins, including the magnificent collaborative set with the United States Mint, to mark 50 years since Australia shared the first human perspective of the Moon's surface with the world.
- Ross MacDiarmid, Royal Australian Mint CEO
The obverse of the new coins depicts the famous CSIRO Parkes radio telescope pointed towards the Moon, from which it is receiving television signals of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The text in the background is an excerpt from the transcript of Commander Neil Armstrong's journal of the lunar landing. The effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is set into a circle at the base of the design.
The reverse of the new coins depicts one of the Apollo 11 astronauts standing on the surface of the Moon, with the lunar module Eagle in the background. The Earth, visible in colour, in the sky behind the astronaut, shows Australia directly facing the Moon. A representation of the long journey taken by the Apollo 11 crew from Earth to the Moon is traced in the sky.
The support of the Apollo 11 mission was a fantastic demonstration of Australia's expertise in spacecraft tracking and communication. Sharing news of this giant leap was made possible by the technology and Australian teams at NASA's Honeysuckle Creek tracking station near Canberra and CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope in NSW.
Australia and CSIRO are world-leaders in radio astronomy and antenna design. This is why NASA came to Australia and the CSIRO Parkes telescope, for our support and geographic location. It's also the reason why we continue to play a role in NASA space missions.
These new coins recognise our contribution to the mission's success and support in sharing the powerful collective experience of the first steps on the Moon to 600 million people around the world.
- John Sarkissian, Operations Scientist at CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope
5 dollars 2019 price guide and values
The 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing Two Coin Set – 2019 $5 & Half Dollar Proof Domed Coin has a mintage of 10,000 and retails at $195. The 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing – 2019 $5 Nickel Plated Fine Silver Proof Domed Coin has a mintage of 10,000 and retails $150. The 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing – 2019 $100 Gold Proof Domed Coin has a mintage of 750 and retails at $2,795.
The Mint has also released 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing – 2019 Six Coin Year Sets in proof and uncirculated finishes, featuring depictions of the transmission of the Moon landing at Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station in 1969 on a 1 dollar coin. The proof set retails at $100.00 and the uncirculated set retails at $25.00.
1 dollar 2019 price guide and values
The United States Mint (Mint) announced, on November 1st, a collaborative project with the Royal Australian Mint. The two Mints produced a commemorative coin set The set features a U.S. Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Half Dollar paired with an Australian 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing $5 Silver Proof Domed Coin.
The limited production was sold and distributed by the Royal Australian Mint, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Director of the United States Mint and the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint. The United States Mint marketed the set on its website.
We are very pleased that the Royal Australian Mint is entering into a product partnership with the United States Mint to bring customers a unique collectible that marks one of mankind's most remarkable achievements.
The collaboration highlights the unique part Australia had to play in sending a man to the Moon.
- Zed Seselja, Australian Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance
The United States Mint unveiled the designs for the 2019 Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program on October 11, 2018. The obverse and reverse designs were featured on the four coins in the program: a $5 gold coin, a standard size $1 silver coin, a half dollar clad coin, and a five ounce $1 silver proof coin. In a manufacturing first for the U.S. Mint, the five ounce silver proof coin is curved, as are the other coins in the program.
The obverse design was selected from entries in a juried competition as required by the authorising legislation, Public Law 114-282. The winning design was by Gary Cooper of Belfast, Maine. It features the inscriptions MERCURY, GEMINI, and APOLLO separated by phases of the Moon—and a footprint on the lunar surface. The design represents the efforts of the United States space program leading up to the first manned Moon landing. Additional inscriptions are 2019, IN GOD WE TRUST, and LIBERTY. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted the design.
The reverse design is by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. It features a representation of a close-up of the iconic Buzz Aldrin on the Moon photograph taken July 20, 1969, showing just the visor and part of the helmet of astronaut Buzz Aldrin. The reflection in Aldrin's helmet includes astronaut Neil Armstrong, the United States flag, and the lunar lander. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, the respective denomination, and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Ms. Hemphill also sculpted the design.
This jointly–issued coin set magnificently symbolises our long standing alliance and friendship with Australia.
Many Americans will remember listening for the critical reports from the tracking stations in Australia at Carnarvon, Honeysuckle Creek, Tidbinbilla and Parkes, as the Apollo 11 spacecraft travelled to, orbited and landed on the Moon.
- David Ryder, United States Mint Director
