On December 21, 1968, three NASA astronauts embarked on a journey that would take them “Round the moon and back.” The Apollo 8 mission proved the performance of the command and service module and was the first crewed launch of the Saturn V rocket. On
The obverse of this commemorative coin features a meticulously detailed engraving of the three astronauts from the historic Apollo 8 mission. Dominating the upper center is Commandant Frank Borman, rendered with a firm, resolute expression that captures his role as mission commander. Flanking him below are William A. Anders, labeled “CO-PILOT,” and James A. Lovell, designated “NAVIGATOR,” each portrayed with similarly confident visages, clad in their space suits complete with prominent collar rings and subtle NASA insignia. The portraiture is stylized yet lifelike, honoring the human element behind this monumental scientific endeavor. The astronauts’ names and titles are inscribed in a sans-serif font at the bottom of the coin, grounding the human narrative in the technological achievement. The inscription “COMMANDANT FRANK BORMAN” arches across the upper periphery, forming a unifying textual arc above the trio.
Obverse lettering
COMMANDANT FRANK BORMAN
WANDERS - J.LOVELL
CO-PILOT NAVIGATOR
Obverse script
Latin
Reverse description
The reverse side presents an iconographic celebration of the Apollo 8 mission’s groundbreaking feat: the first crewed voyage to orbit the Moon. Along the coin’s upper perimeter, the bold inscription `WELTRAUMFAHRT – APOLLO 8` (German for “Space Travel – Apollo 8”) introduces the central theme. Below it, “ZUM MOND ca. 800 000 Km” signifies the approximate round-trip distance to the Moon. The visual centerpiece is an elegantly simplified orbital trajectory, tracing the spacecraft’s path from Earth to the Moon and around it ten times, as indicated by “10× RUND UM DEN MOND.” Earth and the Moon are stylized hemispheres, Earth showing the Americas and the Moon depicted with cratered surface texture. The spacecraft is shown mid-flight, evoking the propulsion and precision of space navigation. At the bottom, mission timing details are recorded: “Start: 21.XII. 13.51h” and “Landung: 27.XII. 16.51h”, referencing the launch and splashdown in December 1968. The year 1968 is inscribed prominently at the base, anchoring the coin temporally in the context of the Cold War space race.
Reverse lettering
WELTRAUMFAHRT > APOLLO 8
ZUM MOND
ca 800 000 Km
10X
RUND UM
DEN MOND
Start: 21.XII.13 51h
Landing: 27.XII.16 51h
1968
