With SpaceX and Virgin Galactic vying to start taking people to the moon, there’s a lot of attention being placed on that celestial orb. Mementos of such trips are a long way off, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a memento of the moon right now. Cool Material is offering a Full Moon Silver Coin that commemorates the moon’s beautiful surface.
Struck in solid 999 fine silver, the silver coin is geographically—or selenographically, depending on how accurate you want to be—correct in size, being 136,794,240:1 scale, or roughly the size of a U.S. quarter. The two sides of the coin depict both sides of the moon—near and far. Hand coloring and patina finish the look, creating incredible detail. The coins are struck one at a time and then processed by hand, making each one unique. The coin is one inch in diameter and weighs ¼ of an ounce.
The coin accurately depicts the moon’s surface, with all of its craters and collisions from asteroids and comets. You can see the highlands of the moon as well as the Maria—the darker portion of the moon’s surface created by flows of basaltic lava. You can also pick out the rilles—channels created by lava flows—and domes, a type of shield volcanoes. You can also pick out the craters of the moon, especially Tycho.
The Full Moon Silver Coins are made by Shire Post Mint, a family owned and operated business based out of Arkansas. The company uses antique machinery and traditional techniques to make the coins. Shire Post is the same mint that George R.R. Martin contacted to make the coins for his Game of Thrones series.
Until regular trips start happening to the lunar surface, the Full Moon Silver Coin is the perfect gift for anyone who loves the moon. Use it as a teaching tool or as a worry coin, or just add it to an existing collection.
