1960's Commemorative Space Coins From TANG

[Gold Finger-migration]

Does anyone remember the space program of the 1960's?

Does anyone remember the space coins that you could collect from drinking TANG orange juice?

My favorite drink was TANG back then (Jack Daniels Single Barrel now).

Anyway, if you sent in proof of purchase from the drink containers you would receive a gold finish commemorative coin in a series that commemorated the space program. Each coin was a depiction of one of the flight missions in the Apollo, Gemeni or Mercury programs. There are about 20 coins that you could collect. I have everyone that you could possibly collect.

 

Does anyone have any idea what they might be worth and has anyone seen these before at any shows or any venue?

 

Thanks for your help on this one folks

[SkyMan]

COOL!!! I remember the '60's space program. I never even heard about the Tang coins. Do you have any images?

[James_OldeTowne]

I sold some of these on eBay probably about three years ago. I don't remember them bringing a particularly large premium, unfortunately, but I do know what coins you're talking about.

[Gold Finger-migration]

Thanks for the reply folks.

With a user name like Skyman I would think that these coins would have great appeal to you. Here are the pics you requested.

 

[Gold Finger-migration]

Space coins under different lighting conditions

[SkyMan]

GoldFinger, thank you very much for showing the coins. They are COOL!!!

[cladking]

So that's where they came from. I have a complete set. Most are pretty common and are sen in mixtures of tokens and medals.

[Gold Finger-migration]

Hi cladking,

 

Thanks for your responce. I am glad to hear that other collectors are aware of these coins and have seen them around. My mother god bless her heart would buy cases of tang, each jar made 8-10 quarts and you needed like 4 proof of purchase to get one coin. So do the math,........88 jars Tang at 8-10 quarts yield, that is 220 gallons of Tang drink to get the full set of 22 coins.

I wonder if some of the space program hero's would be interested in a set, i.e. John Glenn.

[Gold Finger-migration]

Just wanted to keep this on the first page for more exposure

[cladking]

Shell Oil gave away similar tokens in aluminum made by the Franklin Mint in '69/ '70. These are much less available than the Mr President tokens of '68 but still common.

 

There are many series of this sort and most are available and fun to collect. Demand is low so even scarcities can be picked up for nothing. one of my favorites is the Cracker Jacks presidential series from the 1930's. There are about 120 different probably counting the varieties and few collectors have more than twenty or thirty different. There's one type that was cancelled and I've yet to see a single example. Ked's had planes on cheap plastic that melted at low temps. Even milk bottle caps got in the act with an extensive series of presidential caps back in 1963. These were so common that I've seen grocery bags full of them but few survive today and several of these are apparently exceedingly rare. Even the Mr president program had "instant winners" which were redeemable for sets of copper presidential medals. The coppers are fairly common but the instant winner tokens are tough.

 

It's funny how things work out. The Tang tokens could well have some toughies in it. I'll dig my set up when I have a chance and double check that they are all there.