IYA2009 Coins

France has come up with 4 versions of commemorative coins issued in celebration of International Year of Astronomy 2009. In fact France has the most valuable of all the IYA2009 numismatic collection, which is a graceful golden coin, valued at $2,000. This French IYA2009 coin, issued by the Paris Mint is the first domed coin of IYA collection, having convex (slightly bent upward in center , just like a lens) and concave surfaces on obverse & reverse sides respectively.

The physical properties of the coin gives the idea that the French have stuck to the facts of IYA2009, itself and the 40th anniversary of the first even Lunar landing by humans, embracing the legendary footage of Neil Armstrong back in 1969, which gave a dramatic boost to the then space exploration.

Here is the silver version of the IYA2009 coin of France.

The obverse as seen to your left, is depicted with the commemoration of 40th anniversary of Apollo 11, first lunar landing. The obverse is apparently covered with a finely crafted very 1st foot print of Neil Armstrong. There are also the face value of 10 Euros, denomination, mint, the Year of 2009 plus an inscription in French meaning the "40th anniversary to the first landing in Moon", lie in the obverse.

The reverse appears quite simple, resembling a planetarium like insight. It appears as such that the dome of the sky, complete with the stars all over the reverse. The Saturn is highlighted there in the top with much bigger print. The lower edge is made creative with the astronomical symbolic forms of planets, starting with closest Moon and going through all the way to Pluto. Yes Pluto is there but not in its standard symbol (♇). It's also noteworthy that Earth is missing in the queue.

As told earlier you can feel the golden coin, if you visualize the the above coin made up of gold and blue gold instead, with the face value of $ 200. There are 2 amazing facts about this gold coin, that the coin itself weighs just 1 ounce and the other is that this beauty is marketed for a lump sum of $ 2,000, 1000% of its original face value.

The above-pictured coin is minted with 10,000 pieces, where as its 163.8 gram version has a mintage of 500 pieces, and 8.45 gram gold coin being minted with 1000 pieces plus the most expensive gold and blue gold version coming up with 1000 pieces, weighing 31.104 grams.

Just think what amount of monetary gain that the Paris Mint has gained simply with the gold and blue gold version, It's simple math . 1000 pieces each worth $ 2,000. $ 2,000,000 ! Think about the amount of astronomy that they could do!

The coin has a face value of €10 and is 90% silver, weighing in at 22.2 gm with a diameter of 37 mm. It has a maximum mintage of 10,000 pieces. The coin was also available in a 500-mintage 163.8 gm (5.77 oz) version, a 1000-mintage 8.45 gm (0.30 oz) gold one, and then the 1000-mintage 31.104 gm (1.1 oz) gold with blue gold plate version.


Here are some parameters of the Silver version of 4 coins issued by Paris Mint.

Specifications

Artist: Atelier de Gravure
Weight: 22,20 g = 0,78 oz
Diameter: 37 mm = 1,46 inch
Mintage: 10 000
Metal: Silver 90%
Quality: Proof
Face value: 10€

Here is also another image.