Army unveils new commemorative coins

Army unveils new commemorative coins

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Army chief of staff, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., and the Army Historical Foundation executive director, Brig. Gen. Creighton W. Abrams Jr., USA, Ret., unveiled designs for three 2011 Army Commemorative Coins during the 111th Army-Navy football classic Dec. 11, at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field."The designs for the 2011 U.S. Army Commemorative Coins unveiled today celebrate our magnificent Army’s storied history and heritage and signify a remarkable public tribute to every American Soldier who has served our nation in war and in peace," Secretary of the Army John McHugh said following the unveiling.The United States Mint will produce the $5 gold coin, the silver dollar coin, and the copper-clad half-dollar coin in both proof and uncirculated versions. Prices for the coins will be announced on Jan. 31. The coins will go on sale in early February and remain available only through 2011.With its theme of "Service in War," the $5 coin’s front features five soldiers whose service from colonial times through today symbolizes the Army’s continuity of strength and readiness.The coin’s reverse includes the U.S. Army emblem and inscription, "This We’ll Defend," to represent the unbroken history of the Army’s loyalty and commitment to defend the nation. The law authorizes minting 100,000 of the $5 coins.The front of the Army silver dollar, themed "Modern Army Service," depicts the busts of male and female soldiers symbolizing the worldwide deployment of the 21st century Army.The back is impressed with the Great Seal of the United States surrounded by the Army’s seven Core Values.Mintage limit for the silver dollar is 500,000.The theme of the copper-clad half-dollar is "Service in Peace." Its face represents the active Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve’s contributions during peacetime, to include disaster relief and humanitarian assistance and the Army’s pioneering role in early space exploration.The reverse depicts a Continental Soldier, symbolizing the Army as the first military service to defend the country.The United States Mint will produce up to 750,000 of the clad half-dollars.Once the price of the coins is determined, the surcharges collected from coin sales – $35 for each gold coin, $10 for each silver coin, and $5 for each copper-clad coin – are authorized to be paid to the Army Historical Foundation to help finance the National Museum of the United States Army to be built at Fort Belvoir, Va."The intrinsic value of these commemorative coins is certain to resonate with our more than one million currently-serving soldiers and their families and our 11-million surviving Army veterans across the country as sincere public appreciation of their selfless service and personal sacrifices," Abrams said at the unveiling."On their behalf, I thank the Congress for enacting the coin legislation, the United States Mint for the stunning designs of the coins, and the American public for their continuing support of our soldiers and Army veterans," Abrams added.More information on the 2011 Army Commemorative Coins and the National Museum of the United States Army can be found at www.armyhistory.org.