50 Escudos 1969 Portugal

In 1969, Portugal issued the 50 Escudos coin to mark the Apollo 11 moon landing, a gesture from a nation with no space agency of its own.

The coin was struck in silver, featuring an obverse with the Portuguese coat of arms and a reverse depicting the Apollo spacecraft. That design choice reflected global fascination with the event, even in corners far from Cape Canaveral. Records don't specify the exact mintage, though estimates suggest it was modest for a commemorative issue.

One odd detail: some planchets may have been sourced from earlier colonial coins, linking old empires to new frontiers. As for why Portugal chose this tribute, it's unclear—perhaps a bid for international prestige.

The series ran through 1986, but this early piece stands out for its timing.