MONTREAL -- The Royal Canadian Mint has unveiled a pure silver coin containing a small chip from a meteorite to mark the 150th anniversary of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

The society's executive director, Randy Attwood, says each one-ounce coin contains a small chunk of the Campo del Cielo iron meteorite, which fell onto Argentinian soil centuries ago.

He says the mint had to go with an Argentinian rock because there aren't enough meteorites in Canada to break up and stick on a coin.

Attwood says the mint has 5,500 meteorite coins that will start shipping in August to customers in the United States and Canada for about $150 each.

Canada Post will also be issuing two astronomy stamps on Friday to celebrate the astronomical society, which was founded in 1868.

The stamps will feature photos of the Milky Way and the northern lights taken by astronomical society members.