Silver and Gold to Commemorate the 2002 Winter Olympics
In 2002, the Winter Olympics were scheduled to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Congress of the United States authorized a silver dollar and a five-dollar gold coin to commemorate. Proceeds supported the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Games and the U.S. Olympic Committee to support American athletes.
2002 Olympic Winter Games Commemorative Silver Dollar Coin
The obverse of the silver dollar coin was designed by Donna Weaver and features the crystal snowflake emblem. The gold and silver commemorative coins feature a geometric, angular design inspired by Utah’s landscape, called the “Rhythm of the Land.”
The upper periphery had the word “LIBERTY,” and below the snowflake was “SALT LAKE 2002.” To the left of the emblem was “XIX OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES,” and the bottom periphery was adorned with the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
John Mercanti designed the reverse of this silver dollar, which featured the skyline of Salt Lake City with mountains in the background. Above the mountains is the text “XIX WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES.” Below the skyline is “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and the denomination “ONE DOLLAR.” The very lower periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” on it.
The Philadelphia Mint struck uncirculated and proof silver dollars. The coins were sold as individual items, in a two-coin set, and in a 4-coin set with both versions of the five-dollar gold coins. The authorized mintage of both the uncirculated and proof versions of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games Commemorative Silver Dollar Coin was set at 400,000 coins, combined. Of that number, only 40,257 of the Uncirculated coins were sold, while 166,864 of the Proof coins were sold.
2002 Olympic Winter Games Commemorative Gold $5 Coin
Donna Weaver designed this coin. The obverse uses the same Olympic Winter Games Crystal emblem displayed against the popular “rhythm of the land” design. The upper periphery has the word “LIBERTY,” while the lower has the date “2002.” Emblazoned across the design is “SALT LAKE,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” is to the left of the design.
On the reverse, a stylized Olympic Flame burns within a cauldron. The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” the denomination “FIVE DOLLARS” is immediately below the cauldron, while to the left of the flame is “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
This coin was struck in uncirculated and proof at the West Point Mint. 80,000 of these gold coins were authorized, but sales fell short. Only 10,585 of the uncirculated coins were sold, while 32,877 of the proof version were sold. Expand your collection today and shop other U.S. classic silver commemorative coins and modern U.S. gold commemorative coins.
