Obverse features a left-facing bust of Alan B. Shepard Jr., shown in Mercury-era NASA flight gear. The portrait exhibits finely engraved facial structure, cropped hair, and detailed depiction of the high-neck pressure suit collar with ribbed ring and underlying mesh fabric.
Obverse lettering
ALAN B. SHEPARD (curved along the
upper rim)
✸ ✸ U.S.A. ✸ ✸ (curved along the lower rim)
Obverse script
Latin
Reverse description
Reverse commemorates the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission, launched on May 5, 1961, and piloted by Shepard during the first American human spaceflight. The imagery depicts the Redstone launch vehicle ascending along a parabolic arc representing its sub-orbital trajectory. At the apex of the arc is the Mercury capsule, separated from its booster stage. The field is scattered with stylized eight-pointed stars to symbolize outer space. Within the lower exergual region, the medal bears a trio of hallmarking elements struck directly into the field: an oval “925” silver fineness mark, a lozenge-shaped Italian State Mint assay mark identifying Milan as the district of issuance, and a small oval maker’s mark of currently unidentified attribution.
Reverse lettering
FIRST SUB-ORBITAL FLIGHT (curved along
the upper rim)
MERCURY 3 (curved along the lower rim)
✸ MAY 5TH 1961 ✸ (curved along the lower rim)
Reverse script
Latin
Engraver
assay mark identifying Milan as the district of issuance, and a small oval maker’s mark of currently unidentified attribution. Script: Latin Lettering: FIRST SUB-ORBITAL FLIGHT (curved along the upper rim) MERCURY 3 (curved along the lower rim) ✸ M
