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Commemorative Values

Commemorative coins are a time-honored tradition dating back to ancient Greece, and they have been struck intermittently since the late 19th century. They are responsible for a number of firsts in U.S. coinage, including the first coin to have a U.S. president portrait and more.

Coin Type – Women’s Suffrage Centennial – 2020

The 19th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920. At the time, this extended voting rights to more than 27 million women.

Coin Type – West Point Bicentennial – 2002

The U.S. Military Academy, in West Point, NY, was authorized by President Thomas Jefferson on March 16, 1802.

Coin Type – U.S. Army – 2011

Congress authorized three commemorative coins to honor the founding of the U.S. Army and celebrate its rich traditions and history.

All Commemorative Values Resources

Huguenot Walloon Tercentenary – 1924

The coin caused a stir as both men on it were anti-Catholic but neither man had anything to do with the landing of Huguenots or

Hudson (NY) Sesquicentennial – 1935

The Hudson Sesquicentennial Committee needed to display Henry Hudson’s portrait, but since no portrait of Hudson was known, the Committee decided that a representation the

Hawaiian Sesquicentennial – 1928

The idea was to charge the commission $.50 for each of the Half Dollars and sell them at $2.00 each, then the highest price ever

Grant Memorial – 1922

Legislation was passed to preserve Grant’s birthplace and it would be paid for by the sale of both silver half-dollar commemorative coins and gold one-dollar

Gettysburg 75th Anniversary – 1936

The coin is often critiqued as medallic in appearance, due to the outer ring, loaded with inscriptions on the obverse and reverse. But the design

Fort Vancouver – 1925

As publicity for the coins, the entire 300,000 coin shipment was flown by the Army Air Corps from the Mint in San Francisco to Vancouver

Elgin (IL) Centennial – 1936

In 1936, the people of Elgin, Illinois planned to celebrate their city’s Centennial. They wanted to raise funds to erect a monument to the pioneers

Delaware Tercentenary – 1938

The Delaware Swedish Tercentenary Committee had requested coins to be struck at each operating Mint but all of the coins were struck at the Philadelphia

Connecticut Tercentenary – 1935

In 1635, John Winthrop was recognized as the first Governor of the land to be called Connecticut. Nearly 300 years later, residents of Connecticut were

Columbia (SC) Sesquicentennial – 1936

The bill had originally asked for only 10,000 coins to be struck but it was amended to a minimum of 25,000 had to be minted.

Cleveland Centennial – Great Lakes Expo – 1936

The Great Lakes Exposition opened on June 27, 1936 and approximately four million people passed through its gates.

Cincinnati Music Center – 1936

This coin and celebration was the brainchild of Thomas Melish, who wanted to control a commemorative coin issue and to profit himself by adjusting prices

California Pacific Int’l Expo – 1935 – 1936

Exposition officials had the unsold coins returned, melted and struck again, this time minted at the Denver Mint with a 1936 date on them.

California Diamond Jubilee – 1925

The first California Diamond Jubilee half dollar struck was presented to the Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Bridgeport (CT) Centennial – 1936

The Bridgeport Centennial Committee was formed to lobby for a commemorative Half Dollar and they hired Connecticut sculptor and artist, Henry Kreis, to design the

Boone Bicentennial – 1934 – 1938

Boone remains an iconic American hero having been a farmer, trapper, American militiaman during the Revolutionary War, trader, businessman, and politician. His exploits in opening

Booker T Washington Memorial – 1946 -1951

The Commission wanted to have a commemorative half-dollar struck bearing his likeness due to his importance in both American and African-American history.

Washington-Carver – 1951 – 1954

The George Washington Carver National Monument Foundation wanted a commemorative half dollar that honored Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver.

Battle of Antietam (MD) – 75th Anniversary – 1937

On September 17, 1862, the “Bloodiest Day of the Civil War” occurred in a small town in Maryland. The casualties numbered 22,720 for both sides,

Arkansas Centennial – Robinson – 1936

A second design for the Arkansas Centennial coin was authorized on June 26, 1936. There was strong support for changing the obverse design to a

Arkansas Centennial – 1935 – 1939

In 1936, State of Arkansas legislators in Little Rock were planning to celebrate the centennial of Arkansas’s Admission to the Union. The legislation that they

Coin Type – Thomas Alva Edison – 2004

Thomas Edison’s lightbulb impacted the world by lighting up the night. For the 125th Anniversary of his invention, Congress honored him with a Commemorative Silver Dollar.

Coin Type – Star Spangled Banner – 2012

The United States Congress celebrated the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the Battle of Baltimore by authorizing a commemorative Silver Dollar and a commemorative $5.00 Gold coin. The subject of those coins was the 200th anniversary of our National Anthem – the Star Spangled Banner.

Coin Type – San Francisco Old Mint Centennial – 2006

The Centennial of the Old San Francisco Mint’s survival occurred in 2006. In 1906, not only did the US Mint building in San Francisco, survive a massive earthquake, it also survived the tremendous fires that ravaged the city.

Coin Type – Salt Lake City Winter Olympics – 2002

Donna Weaver designed the reverse of this silver dollar, and it displayed the skyline of Salt Lake City with the Rocky Mountains dominating the design. The “rhythm of the land” design is above the mountains with “XIX WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES” beneath it.

Coin Type – Negro Leagues Baseball – 2022

In early Major League Baseball, African American players were not allowed in the major leagues. The owners of these teams formed the Negro National League in order to play against other teams of Black and Hispanic players across the country.

Coin Type – National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum – 2021

Congress authorized Public Law 116-94 to honor American law enforcement officers. Given their service and sacrifices, they authorized a 3-coin set – a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, and a Five Dollar Gold coin.

Coin Type – National Purple Heart Hall of Honor – 2022

The Purple Hear has been awarded to the nearly 2 million service members killed or wounded since 1917, during World War I. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative coins were authorized and approved by the Congress of the United States.

Coin Type – National Park Service 100th Anniversary – 2016

The 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service was celebrated in 2016. Congress authorized a 3-coin set of commemorative coins to be issued for the occasion.

Coin Type – National Baseball Hall of Fame – 2014

In 2014, the National Baseball Hall of Fame celebrated its 75th Anniversary as Congress authorized the striking of a 3-coin set – a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, and a Five Dollar Gold coin.

Coin Type – Medal of Honor – 2011

First awarded in 1863 during the Civil War, the Medal of Honor currently has 3,525 recipients and 618 medals have been awarded posthumously.

Coin Type – Marine Corps 230th Anniversary – 2005

The surcharges added to the cost of each coin were used towards the construction of the Heritage Center of the United States Marine Corps, which is in Quantico, Virginia.

Coin Type – March of Dimes 75th Anniversary 2015

The March of Dimes was founded to eradicate polio. As the vaccine brought the disease under control, the foundation’s mission shifted to improve the health of expectant mothers and their babies.

Coin Type – Louis Braille Bicentennial – 2009

For the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille’s birth, Congress authorized a commemorative Silver Dollar coin to be struck. The obverse depicts a bust of Braille facing the viewer.

Coin Type – Little Rock Central High School Desegregation – 2007

The coin depicts the legs and feet of the “Little Rock Nine’” accompanied by the legs and feet of a soldier in military garb. The Brown ruling allowed desegregation and the military was called in to keep the peace.

Coin Type – Lions Club International – 2017

The Lions Club is one of the world’s largest service organizations with operations in more than 200 countries and well over 1 million members.

Coin Type – Lewis & Clark Bicentennial – 2004

To commemorate the expedition of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, whose expedition led to the opening of the West and the Pacific Ocean, Congress authorized a Silver Dollar in 2004.

Coin Type – Jamestown 400th Anniversary – 2007

Three ships left England in 1606 with 105 adventurers to begin the first permanent English settlement in the New World. They arrived in Jamestown in May of 1607.

Coin Type – Infantry Soldier – 2012

The designs were announced prior to a football match and a prototype of the coin was used for the coin toss at the game. The prototypes were destroyed after the game.

Coin Type – Girl Scouts of America – 2013

In 1913, the Girl Scouts of America were established to foster the growth and experiences of girls and young women in America. One hundred years later Congress honored the Girl Scouts with a commemorative silver dollar coin.

Coin Type – First Spouse $10 Gold Coins – 2007 to Present

While Presidents are honored on a clad $1 coin, First Spouses were honored on a one-half ounce of .9999 fine gold. These one-half troy ounce gold coins bear a $10 face value.

Coin Type – First Flight Centennial – 2003

Only three commemorative coins were authorized in 2003, and all of them commemorated the centennial of the First Flight by the Wright Brothers in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.