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Star Trek Celebrates 60 Years with Global Fanfare and Merchandise
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In Short: The iconic science-fiction franchise, 'Star Trek,' marks its 60th anniversary with worldwide celebrations and new merchandise, including a 50p coin from The Royal Mint and a cookware collection from Le Creuset.
Actor George Takei, who starred in the original series, reflects on his childhood during World War II internment camps and how "Star Trek" was a constant for him as a military family child, moving every 18 months. "Star Trek" was like music for him, providing a sense of stability and entertainment. The show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, was inspired by a TV show about a wagon train going West, envisioning a "Wagon Train to the Stars" set in space.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary, The Royal Mint is launching two collectable 50p coins, while the New Zealand Mint is creating a 5g 999 pure silver/gold foil blind box. Luxury cookware company Le Creuset has also announced a Star Trek collection, featuring themed items to match the franchise's symbols. The collection, available through Le Creuset's UK and US websites and Williams Sonoma stores, includes a first-of-its-kind partnership with the franchise.
The Royal Mint, with a history spanning over 1,100 years, is one of Britain's oldest companies and the original maker of UK coins. The Star Trek collection from Le Creuset, inspired by the franchise's symbols, is a testament to the enduring appeal of the show, which has shaped a global community grounded in imagination and exploration.
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- "Star Trek" fan or not, it’s inarguably impressive that a science-fiction television show that was essentially cancelled twice during its original three-season run has spawned two generations of spinoffs, films and merchandising, earning some $11.2 billion in estimated gross revenue and the Guinness world record for the world's most successful TV science-fiction franchise.
- “Beam me up, Scotty.“ “Live long and prosper.” “Make it so.” I love “Star Trek.” I’m old enough to have watched the original series as a grade school kid in 1969, the final year it was in production.
- There was precious little sci-fi then on film and TV, so a show like “Star Trek” was a big deal.
- The original series starred William Shatner as Captain James T.
- They're commemorating Star Trek 's 60th anniversary with worldwide celebrations, from the Hollywood Walk of Fame to New York Comic-Con to the International Space Station, where one astronaut plans to wear a badge from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
- At the Science Museum in London, fans hope to set a Guinness World Record for the most people performing the Vulcan Salute — a greeting made famous by Star Trek 's beloved half-human, half-alien character Spock.
- Actor Noah Wyle, a Star Trek fan, performed as Captain Kirk.
- "You could characterize Star Trek as being outlined in Greek drama: A hero's got to solve a problem and get back home," says Shatner, now 95, one of the last living main cast members from the original series.