First Flight Centennial Commemorative Coins
Coin Description
Gold: Depicts the Wright Flyer and a bird in flight.
Silver: Depicts the Wright Flyer flying over the sand at Kitty Hawk.
Clad: Depicts the Wright Flyer.
Gold: Features portraits of Orville and Wilbur Wright facing forward.
Silver: Features portraits of Orville and Wilbur Wright from the side.
Clad: Features an image of the Wright Monument.
The Story
Just think: it’s only been 100 years since Orville and Wilbur Wright made their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The first flight lasted only 12 seconds and the Wright Flyer traveled only 120 feet. Although the flight wasn’t long by today’s standards, it did prove that a machine-powered vehicle could fly and be steered by a passenger. This “small step” has led to our “giant leap” to the moon and beyond!
Congress authorized the United States Mint to strike three coins to mark this anniversary: a ten-dollar coin (gold), a one-dollar coin (silver), and a half-dollar coin (clad with cupronickel).
As these coins sold, some of the profits went to the First Flight Centennial Foundation. The Foundation then can create exhibits and programs and take care of, expand, or replace the facilities at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, which belongs to the National Park Service. The park is on the Outer Banks of North Carolina where the famous first flight took place.