On December 8, 1987, an event took place which historians will someday record as the most historical event of this century; that event was the signing of history's first Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty (INF 1987) specifying the actual dismantling of nuclear weapons.
A Peace and Friendship Commemorative (commissioned by the Soviet Peace Committee, established in 1949 as the first government sanctioned non-profit charitable organization) has been minted by the Soviet Moscow Mint with approvals of Ministries of Defense of the USSR and Ministries of Health of the USSR. The coin has been struck from the actual skin of a Soviet R-12 (SS-4) nuclear missile; thus pioneering the use of dismantled nuclear weapon material for civil purposes. This truly is a swords to plowshares recorded artifact.
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“ NOTICE” THE ONLY OFFICIAL AND RECOGNIZED SELLER OF THE WORLD PEACE COIN IS THE FOUNDER AND ESTABLISHER OF ORIGIN, DRAHCIR INDUSTRIES CORPORATION AND THE SOVIET PEACE COMMITTEE. COINS PURCHASED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A ORIGINAL SIGNED CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY BEARING THE REGISTRATION NUMBER AND SIGNED PERSONALLY BY SOVIET PEOPLES DEPUTY GENRICK BOROVIC AND RICHARD M. SALES, AND BEAR DATE OF PURCHASE.
Any other coins purchased by other means is not recognized as a part of the original program in support of World Peace and humanity and are only being sold purely for personal profit by the seller.
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Special Recipients
Each year, several individuals and organizations are selected for special recognition for their efforts in the promotion of world peace and friendship, as well as their efforts to reduce and someday eliminate the threat and use of weapons of mass destruction. Since the founding of this world wide effort in 1990, the founder and organization of the movement has recognized and honored over 50 prominent individuals and organizations for their efforts toward world peace.
The following recipients represent a few of those already recognized and honored for their efforts towards world peace (numbers after names are the actual coin numbers given) :
President Ronald Reagan 1
President Mikhail Gorbachev 2
President George Bush 3
City of Hiroshima 4
City of Nagasaki 5
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Britain 10
President Richard Nixon 14
President Gerald Ford 15
President Jimmy Carter 16
National Geographic Society 18
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home 20
Smithsonian Institution 22
Mr. Eduarde Shevardnadze 24
Walt Disney Company 23
President Francois Mitterand, France 35
Prime Minister Brian Mulroney of Canada 34
Mr. Ted Turner-Turner Broadcasting 37
Dr. Armand Hammer 21
President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan - ROC 26
President Boris N. Yeltsin, Russia 28
Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany 27
Queen Margethe of Denmark 29
The following is what a few of the honorees had to say:
"...convey my gratitude for the 'Disarmament Coin' received from you ". . .appreciate the initiative of the Soviet Peace Committee to mint the unique Disarmament Coin from the dismantled missiles and your personal effort in using the coins for charity purposes."
Mikhail Gorbachev, President USSR
*****
"It was my wish that something be done to commemorate such a historical event. I am pleased with the means by which you chose to commemorate this historical event and am personally honored to be included among such eminent recipients. Your efforts to continue the drive for world peace are most commendable, especially your commitment to donating proceeds to world charities."
Mr. Edwarde Shevardnadze, Foreign Minister USSR
President Republic of Georgia
*****
"As you are well aware, on Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima became the first city in the world to suffer an atomic attack. At a single stroke, over 140,000 precious souls were taken and our city utterly destroyed. Today, well over 300,000 survivors continue to struggle with constant anxiety over their health. Thus, knowing all too well that 'Hiroshima' must never happen again, we have been appealing ever since for total nuclear "A coin minted in commemoration of the INF treaty is the most fitting symbol of world peace... Our city, in its tireless quest for eternal world peace, can abolition and world peace. only treasure such a coin."
Takashi Araki, Mayor City of Hiroshima, Japan
*****
" . . .would be honored to accept this coin on behalf of the National Geographic Society. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity."
Gilbert N Grosvenor, President
National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
"Thank you for your warm words of support regarding world peace and the commemorative coin I received ...You are kind to remember me and I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
President George H. W. Bush
*****
"It is an honor to receive Soviet Disarmament Coin #16. I deeply appreciate the significance of this gift. Your project is a positive step in the direction of world peace"
President Jimmy Carter
*****
"I am honored to be included on your list of peacemakers. With Best Wishes"
President Richard Nixon
*****
"Thank you for presenting me with this coin. This coin will remind me of the necessity to pursue the course of eliminating nuclear threat the world over"
Boris Yeltsin, President Russian Federation
*****
"It clearly is a unique artifact that I would be pleased to accept on behalf of the Walt Disney Company"
Michael D. Eisner, Chairman The Walt Disney Company, California
*****
"I am grateful for receiving one of the Disarmament Coins in recognition of my contribution to world peace and nuclear arms control."
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain
*****
"I would be honored to accept this on his behalf. You are to be commended for your dedicated efforts to recognize individuals who have worked towards world peace. I shall look forward to receiving Coin Number 21 in behalf of the Armand Hammer Foundation".
Michael Hammer, VP and Secretary Occidental Petroleum Corporation Dr. Armand Hammer, USA
FOUNDER'S MESSAGE
Why buy a commemorative that is not made of the usual precious metal? In metallurgical terms, this artifact has no value. However, as attested by heads of state, royalty, and prominent institutions throughout the world, this commemorative is considered PRICELESS for what it represents.
This token coin, representing both signatories of the USA/USSR treaty of 1988, was struck directly from an actual nuclear missile, which for obvious reasons will never take flight. IT REPRESENTS THE PUREST FORM OF EVIL CREATED BY MANKIND, BEING CONQUERED BY THE WILL OF MANKIND.
I was in awe when I first held this artifact, and the immediate thought that came to mind was the ages old phrase "From Swords to Plowshares". This truly was the act of converting the most infamous weapon created by mankind into a token symbol of Peace and Friendship.
It is in the nature of mankind to continually justify the creation of the ultimate deterrence, and war will always be a necessary evil. It is a fantasy to believe it could all be eliminated, as it is not in mankind's nature to do so. Today weapons of mass destruction exist throughout the world in quantities sufficient to destroy all life and even earth itself many times over. The expense, manpower and technology wasted on weapons escalation is insanity considering the dire needs around the world for basic human survival.
Each year I recognize individuals and/or institutions that have distinguished themselves in their efforts and deeds 
towards the betterment of all mankind.
Their aspirations for world peace transcend the natural boundaries of race, nationality, gender, religion, and ideology. To those individuals and myself, this artifact is a part of history and will be a guiding light in the future.
It is our hope that you also believe in the need to change mankind's thinking on weapons of mass destruction. Please display your coin in a prominent place as world leaders and museums have done and make it a frequent topic of discussion with family and friends.
This project has inspired me to make the time, effort, and expense to travel the world to meet with world leaders and educators and bring awareness to the insanity of escalation of any type of weapons of mass destruction. I carry in my wallet a card given to me by my wife Nancy, which simply states, "ONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE" . I truly believe this and hope that you too will stand up and be noticed as one who advocates the DE-ESCALATION of all forms of NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL, and CHEMICAL weapons. YOU can make a difference and would have a noteworthy legacy to pass on to your future generations.
ACTIVITIES WE SUPPORT
Proceeds from sale of these commemoratives help support such activities as student exchange programs - purchase of medicine, medical supplies, and equipment for children's hospitals - food and clothing for orphanages - education programs against weapons of mass destruction - research in technologies for destruction of chemical and biological agents - paralyzed veterans programs - cancer research. FUTURE programs include large scale food production projects to feed the hungry. WE DO NOT ASK FOR NOR DO WE ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS. WE ARE OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY, TO BECOME A PART OF HISTORY. Your desire to own a historical piece of history automatically makes you a investor in the future. This is a comforting legacy to pass on to your future generations as your ownership assures you of a place in history along side such eminent figures as royalty, heads of state, academics and industrialists whom have already been recognized as honorees. (see recipient list)
Thank you for your support and encouragement for a better future.
Richard M. Sales
Photographs
Certificate of Authenticity
This first mintage can never be reproduced, as it represents the first and only mintage by the now dissolved USSR. This coin is a unique souvenir and cannot be used as currency, yet, in a symbolic way, the coin will be valid worldwide.
It is sure to find a valued place in the collections of coin collectors and with peace advocates throughout the world. Each proud owner of a "World Peace Coin" will be registered to insure its authenticity and ownership throughout time. The final list of owners will be registered with the National Library of Congress for historical purposes and future authentication of ownership.
