During the year 2003, only three commemorative coins were authorized by the Congress of the United States and all of them were issued to commemorate the centennial of the First Flight by the Wright Brothers in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The coins were a clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, and a Ten Dollar Gold coin. These coins were offered for sale from August 1, 2003, through July 31, 2004.
Mint designer John Mercanti designed the obverse of the clad Half Dollar. The obverse design depicts the famed Wright Brothers Monument, which is located at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk. The monument is displayed in the center with the word “LIBERTY” adorning the upper periphery. To the left of the monument is the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” on two lines. Below the monument is “WRIGHT MONUMENT” and below that is the date “2003.”
The reverse was designed by Norman E. Nemeth, and it depicts the Wright 1903 Flyer (the early model of their airplane) piloted by Orville Wright. His brother, Wilbur, is on the ground below with an arm raised towards his brother. The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” at the top and the phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM” just below it. Below the aircraft is the denomination “HALF DOLLAR.”
(A 2003-P First Flight Centennial Half Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
Congress authorized 750,000 coins between both Uncirculated and Proof coins, but sales did not meet expectations with only 57,122 Uncirculated coins and 109,710 Proof coins sold.
(A 2003-P First Flight Centennial Half Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
Both the Uncirculated and Proof clad Half Dollar coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The coins were sold individually, together as a 2-coin half dollar set and the Proof coin was sold as part of a 3-coin Proof set.
The Silver Dollar coin was also produced in both Uncirculated and Proof finishes. T. James Ferrell designed the obverse of this Silver Dollar. It depicts conjoined busts of both Wilber and Orville Wright, facing left, and the word “LIBERTY” is on the upper periphery with the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” just below it. Beneath their portraits are their names “WILBUR & ORVILLE WRIGHT.”
The reverse of the coin was again designed by Norman E. Nemeth, who also designed the reverse of the Clad Half Dollar. It also depicts the Wright 1903 Flyer in flight, above the dunes at Kill Devil Hills. Above the Flyer is the denomination “ONE DOLLAR” and below and to the right is the phrase “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” On two lines just above the bottom periphery is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
(A 2003-P First Flight Centennial Silver Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
(A 2003-P First Flight Centennial Silver Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
Congress authorized a maximum mintage of 500,000 of these Silver Dollar coins, but only 53,333 in Uncirculated condition were sold, while 190,240 of the Proof coins were sold. Both the Uncirculated and Proof coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint.
The Congressional legislation also authorized that a $10 Gold coin also be struck in both Uncirculated and Proof versions. This was the first $10.00 denomination gold commemorative coin struck by the US Mint, since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic $10.00 Gold Commemorative coin, exclusive of the $10 bimetallic coin that was struck in 2000.
The obverse depicts conjoined portraits of Wilbur and Orville Wright, facing forward. Above the busts is the word “LIBERTY” and to the left is “IN GOD WE TRUST,” while to the right are the dates “1903 / 2003.” Below the busts are their names “ORVILLE & WILBUR WIGHT” with “FIRST FLIGHT CENTENNIAL” adorning the lower periphery. Donna Weaver designed the obverse of this coin.
Once again, Norman E. Nemeth designed the reverse of this coin as well. It also depicts the Wright 1903 Flyer in flight, with an American Bald Eagle soaring above them. On the upper periphery is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is to the right, with the denomination “TEN DOLLARS” on the lower periphery.
Both the Uncirculated and Proof versions of this Ten Dollar Gold coin were struck at the West Point Mint. The maximum authorized mintage was 100,000 coins. Both of these coins bear the West Point “W” mintmark. Od that authorized mintage, a scant 10,009 of the Uncirculated coins sold while only 21,676 of the Proof coins were sold.
(A 2003-W First Flight Centennial $10 Gold, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
(A 2003-W First Flight Centennial $10 Gold, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 2003 | P | Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 57,122 | $35 |
| 2003 | P | Half Dollar | Proof | 109,710 | $30 |
| 2003 | P | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 53,533 | $50 |
| 2003 | P | Silver Dollar | Proof | 190,240 | $65 |
| 2003 | W | Ten Dollar Gold | Uncirculated | 10,009 | $975 |
| 2003 | W | Ten Dollar Gold | Proof | 21,676 | $975 |
