Last year was a big coin event with the 50th anniversary of the amazing moon landing, undertaken on the Apollo 11 by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. While that was a success, it wasn’t all plain sailing for NASA. Just a year later, the Apollo 13 mission to return to the moon almost ended in tragedy and the death of all on board.

A gas explosion meant the landing was abandoned and the Lunar Module, designed to support two people, had to get the three occupants all the way home safely. That it did so was a triumph of human engineering and ingenuity.

Pobjoys new Ascension Island issued sterling silver coin pictures the moment the module splashes down in the South Pacific and has a great design. The reverse face is dished to enhance relief. It’s a 2oz coin with a 38.6 mm diameter and a mintage of 650. A 13oz (404.35 g) version with a mintage of just 50 pieces was also produced, but is already sold out before general release. Such is the interest in this exciting time in human history. Available to order now.

LINKS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOON LANDING COIN GUIDE