NASA Mars Curiosity Rover
Year: 2013
Mint/Issuer: Winco/NASA
Mintage: [Unknown]
Historical metal: Metal from an engineering test unit forCuriosity's (LECS) tee-duct
Additional Information:
NASA is marking the Curiosity rover's first year on Mars with a commemorative medallion minted from metal used in the engineering of the robotic explorer....inscribed along an inner border are "Mars Exploration" and "NASA Official Commemorative." An inscription along the outer border reads: "This Medallion Was Minted With Test Metal Used During The Engineering Of Curiosity."Added to the antique copper used to mint the thousands of medallions was the metal from an engineering test unit for Curiosity's lower environmental control system (LECS) tee-duct. The LECS was designed for the MSL to cool the Multi-Mission Radio-Thermal Generator (MMRTG), which serves as Curiosity's nuclear power source.
