Coin, Commemorative, Gemini 4

This coin commemorating the Gemini 4 mission depicts an eagle perched atop the Gemini capsule with the names of the two participating astronauts around the edge. This choice of symbol reflects the crew's initial hope to name their capsule "American Eagle." After Gus Grissom named his Gemini 3 capsule "Molly Brown," a reference to the unsinkable character of Titanic fame, however, NASA ended the practice of naming Gemini capsules. The design on this coin is not the mission patch design, as the first mission patches were not developed until Gemini 5.

Gemini 4 was the second human spaceflight mission in the Gemini program and flew from June 3-7, 1965. James A. McDivitt and Edward H. White II were the astronauts. Among the mission's milestones in the United States space program were the first long-duration spaceflight and the first extravehicular activity or "space walk."

The coin has been a part of the National Collection since 2002.