The 1993 50th Anniversary of World War II Commemoratives
As 1991 approached, Members of Congress began creating legislation to honor all of our brave men and women who served in World War II. But the actual debates on these issues took several years within which to achieve a consensus. By 1993, the halfway point of the War, in terms of America’s involvement, legislation was crafted and passed.
Like other commemorative coin issues, this would be the typical three-coin set – a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar and a $5 Gold coin. While the subject matter was expected to be popular with the American Public, the sales of these coins really seemed to resonate only with collectors as sales were in line with prior, similar products.
The Clad Half Dollar obverse was designed by George Klauba. It depicts the faces of a soldier, a sailor and an airman – all facing left. Behind them is a large “V” for Victory and they all appear to be looking upwards as a B-17 bomber is flying overhead. Above the bomber are five five-pointed stars in an arc. On the right periphery is the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the dates of involvement “1991 – 1995” representing the 50th-anniversary dates of the start and end of American involvement in World War II. On the left periphery is the word “LIBERTY”.
The Reverse of the Clad Half Dollar depicts a typical Pacific Island battle scene with a soldier on a beach aiming his rifle, as he lies down, above is an airplane supposedly providing cover for this soldier and his colleagues, while in the background is a naval ship also providing cover. The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” while the lower periphery has “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and the denomination “HALFZ DOLLAR.” It was designed by Bill J. Leftwich.
The Clad Half Dollar was minted in both the Uncirculated and Proof versions, both of which were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. These Half Dollar coins were sold individually, as a two-coin set, as a three-coin Uncirculated set, as a three-coin Proof set and as a complete six-coin set containing all three denominations in both Uncirculated and in Proof.
Additionally, to educate America’s youth, these Half Dollar coins were included in a Young Collector’s Edition that contained an Uncirculated version of the Half Dollar and lots of interesting facts about the War and about collecting coins. There was also a version that included the Uncirculated Half Dollar and a reproduction of the World War II Victory Medal in a “Coin and Victory Medal Set” – also produced by the US Mint.
The Silver Dollar coin was an integral part of this three-coin set. Both the obverse and reverse of this coin were designed by US Mint sculptor-engraver Thomas D. Rogers, Sr.
The obverse depicted a soldier landing on a beach during the Normandy invasion, which occurred on D-Day, June 6, 1944. The soldier is carrying his rifle at the ready and is charging forward. The left periphery has “IN GOD WE TRUST”, the upper periphery has “D – DAY JUNE 6, 1944” and to the right is “1991 – 1993” in two lines. The bottom periphery simply has the word “LIBERTY.”
The reverse of the coin has a depiction of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and a quote of General Dwight D Eisenhower “I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN YOUR COURAGE, DEVOTION TO DUTY AND SKILL IN BATTLE. WE WILL ACCEPT NOTHING SHORT OF FULL VICTORY” with “DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER” below the quote.
The reverse inscriptions included “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” on the upper periphery and the denomination “ONE DOLLAR” on the lower periphery.
The Silver Dollar was also struck in both Uncirculated and Proof versions, with the Uncirculated version, struck at the Denver Mint and bearing a “D” mintmark and the Proof version struck at the West Point Mint and bearing a “W” mintmark.
Like the Clad Half Dollars, these Silver Dollars with sold individually, in a two-coin Uncirculated and Proof set, in three-coin Uncirculated Sets, in three-coin Proof sets and in six coin sets of all of the Uncirculated and Proof coins.
The Five Dollar Gold coin was the final coin in this three-coin set honoring our involvement in World War II. The Five Dollar Gold coin was also struck in both Uncirculated and Proof versions.
The obverse of this gold coin depicts an American soldier smiling with his rifle raised in victory! His right arm, with a clenched fist, is also raised in a victory salute. The word “LIBERTY” dominates the upper periphery with “IN GOD WE TRUST” just beneath it and “1991 1995” in two lines to the right. It was designed by Charles J. Madsen.
The reverse, designed by Edward Southworth Fisher, is dominated by a large “V” for VICTORY with a combination of dots and a dash, in Morse code for the letter “V”, superimposed over the “V”. To either side is an olive branch representing Peace. Above the “V” is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and below it is the denomination “5 DOLLARS.”
The $5.00 Gold coin was also struck in both Uncirculated and Proof versions but both were struck at the West Point Mint, so both coins bear a “W” mintmark. Like the two lesser denominations, these coins were sold individually, in two-coin sets, in three-coin sets of Uncirculated coins, in three-coin sets of Proof coins and in a complete six-coin set of the three Uncirculated coins and the three Proof coins.
The surcharges were used to construct the World War II monument in Washington, DC.
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 1993 | P | Clad Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 197,072 | $30 |
| 1993 | P | Clad Half Dollar | Proof | 317,396 | $25 |
| 1993 | D | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 107,240 | $60 |
| 1993 | W | Silver Dollar | Proof | 342,041 | $80 |
| 1993 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Uncirculated | 23,672 | $525 |
| 1993 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Proof | 67,026 | $525 |
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