Charles Kingsford Smith completed the first transpacific flight in June 1928, crossing from Oakland to Brisbane in the Southern Cross with three crewmates — a journey of roughly 11,400 kilometers accomplished in three legs over 83 hours and 38 minutes of flight time. Samoa issued this coin to mark the 50th anniversary of that crossing, one of several Pacific island nations to commemorate an event that had passed directly over their waters.
The Friendly Islands series of which this forms part was struck at the Franklin Mint under contract.
Charles Kingsford Smith completed the first transpacific flight in June 1928, crossing from Oakland to Brisbane in the Southern Cross with three crewmates — a journey of roughly 11,400 kilometers accomplished in three legs over 83 hours and 38 minutes of flight time. Samoa issued this coin to mark the 50th anniversary of that crossing, one of several Pacific island nations to commemorate an event that had passed directly over their waters.
The Friendly Islands series of which this forms part was struck at the Franklin Mint under contract.