100th Anniversary of Graf Zeppelin Ag silver coin for aviation enthusiasts

German general turned aircraft manufacturer, Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin is said to have been inspired in aeronautics by participating in a balloon ascent while visiting German-born former army balloonist John Steiner in St. Paul, Missouri during the American Civil War. After retiring from the army in 1891, Zeppelin devoted himself to the design and manufacture of airships. 

Zeppelin first expressed his ideas for large dirigibles as early as 1874, which he described as “a large rigidly-framed outer envelope containing a number of separate gasbags”. His first creation, the LZ1, was launched in July 1900, where it flew over Lake Constance in southern Germany for 20 minutes. 

Following a string of misfortunes, the airship LZ 3 succeeded in a flight of nearly 6 hours in October of 1908, with the Kaiser’s brother, Admiral Prince Heinrich, on board. Two days later, the LZ 3 was officially accepted by the German government and Zeppelin was awarded the prestigious Order of the Black Eagle. 
Zeppelin did not live to see his greatest success, the Graf Zeppelin LZ127. Christened by his daughter on what would have been Ferdinand von Zeppelin’s 90th birthday, the Graf Zeppelin was the largest aircraft in the world at the time of its completion in 1928. In its years of service, the Graf Zeppelin completed 590 flights, including the first commercial flight service between Europe and the Americas, it’s around-the-world flight in 1928 and its spectacular polar flight of 1931. 

Ferdinand von Zeppelin and his historic legacy are the subjects of a 2017 collector’s coin from the Cook Islands. Marking 100 years since Zeppelin’s death, the face of the 50mm diameter coin commemorates Graf Zeppelin’s legendary polar exhibition. On the reverse, the aircraft designer’s image is depicted in .999 silver relief. A mintage of only 499 ensures the coin’s rarity. The coin complete for your collection with its own box, protective plastic capsule and certificate.