The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor Commemorative coins were authorized and approved by the Congress of the United States. The Purple Heart recipients’ names are maintained on a Roll of Honor. 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 is in New Windsor, New York. Although the medal dates to 1917, it was officially launched on February 22, 1932 (George Washington’s birthdate – as he originally designed a similar award for use during the Revolutionary War).
Congress designated three separate coin denominations being created for this commemorative coin set – a Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar, and a Five Dollar gold coin. The set also included the second Colorized Silver Dollar in US Mint history as well as a 3-coin proof set.
The Obverse of the Clad Half Dollar was designed by Craig Campbell. It depicts a figure in a military uniform, a single combat boot, and a pair of crutches. The implication is the soldier lost their left leg in military action. The negative space is absent of any design and represents the soldier’s loss. To the left of the figure is a copy of the Purple Heart medal. In the field below the design is “ALL GAVE SOME,” implying that all those who serve have given to our nation. Around the periphery are “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “LIBERTY,” and the date of striking “2022.”
The reverse of this clad commemorative half dollar was designed by Beth Zaiken. This side also bears an unusual design. There is a silhouette of a Marine in a dress uniform in the background and in the foreground is a young boy holding a US Marine cap. This represents those Purple Heart recipients who lost their lives. There is an inscription that ties into the one started on the obverse. The inscription is “SOME GAVE ALL.” The periphery displays these inscriptions, “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” Under this last inscription is the denomination, “HALF DOLLAR.”
The Denver Mint struck the Uncirculated version of this Clad Half Dollar, so all of the coins have a “D” mintmark. The San Francisco Mint struck the Proof version, and those coins bear an “S” mintmark. Congress authorized up to 750,000 of these coins across all versions.
These coins are still for sale on the US Mint’s website. Since the beginning of the sale date mid-way through the Uncirculated version sold 11,177 coins and the Proof version had sold 18,536 coins,
The National Purple Heart Silver Dollar commemorative was the next coin in this trio. Both sides of this coin were designed by Heidi Wastweet and Eric David Custer sculpted the obverse and Craig Campbell sculpted the reverse.
The obverse depicts the Purple Heart Medal hanging from its ribbon. To the left of the medal are five five-pointed stars. Also to the left is the word “LIBERTY,” and the dates “1932 – 2022,” which were the dates of the first award of the medal and the date of striking of this coin. Around the periphery are two phrases – “COMBAT WOUNDED & KILLED IN ACTION,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
The reverse of this silver dollar coin depicts an injured soldier, lying on a stretcher, presumably from World War I, attended to by a nurse who is fixing his bandages. The upper periphery displays, in three lines – “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and the denomination which is expressed as “ONE DOLLAR.”
Congress authorized 400,000 of these Silver Dollars and the Uncirculated coins, the Proof coins, and the colorized Proof coins were all struck at the West Point Mint. All these coins bear a “W” mintmark on the reverse of each coin.
(A 2022-W National Purple Heart, Commemorative Silver Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
The Uncirculated version sold, through mid-June, 12,153 coins while the Proof version also sold 39,156 coins. Both versions are still offered for sale on the United States Mint’s website.
(A 2022-W National Purple Heart, Commemorative Silver Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
The United States Mint also decided to offer 25,000 additional Proof coins in a colorized version, being only the second series in United States Mint coinage history to bear color applied at the direction of the Mint. The color is relegated to the background of the medal and is purple, just as the medal looks. This offering sold out shortly after it was placed on sale.
(The obverse of the 2022-W National Purple Heart Commemorative Silver Dollar.)
The final coin in the National Purple Heart commemorative coin set is a Five Dollar gold coin. It well complements the Clad Half Dollar and the Silver Dollar.
The obverse was designed by the United States Mint’s own Joseph Menna and was sculpted by Donna Weaver. Like the Silver Dollar, it depicts the Purple Heart Medal, this time to the left, with “THE PURPLE HEART,” predominant in the right field, with the date of issue “2022,” below. Above the medal and to the left is “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The upper periphery is inscribed with the word “LIBERTY,” and the lower periphery has “A GRATEFUL NATION HONORS AND REMEMBERS.”
The reverse was designed by John P. McGraw, and it has a facsimile signature of “G. WASHINGTON,” with a heart above. This is representative of the Badge of Military Merit that Washington designed for use during the Revolutionary War. The date “17” and “82” appear on either side of the heart and “BADGE OF MILITARY MERIT” is below the signature. The upper periphery displays “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” while on the lower periphery are “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and the denomination, which is expressed as “FIVE DOLLARS.”
Congress authorized up to 50,000 of these gold coins to be minted. The West Point Mint struck both the Uncirculated and the Proof versions. This mid-June, the Uncirculated version sold 1,245 coins, while the Proof version sold 2,203 examples.
The Mint is also selling a 3-coin Proof set containing Proof versions of the Clad Half Dollar, Silver Dollar, and Five Dollar Gold coins. This set is currently still available on the US Mint’s website.
(A 2022-SWW National Purple Heart, 3-coin Proof Set in original government packaging. )
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 2022 | D | Clad Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 11,177 + * | $40 |
| 2022 | S | Clad Half Dollar | Proof | 18,536 + * | $45 |
| 2022 | W | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 12,153 + * | $80 |
| 2022 | W | Silver Dollar | Proof | 39,156 + * | $85 |
| 2022 | W | Silver Dollar | Colorized Proof | 25,000 | $125 |
| 2022 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Uncirculated | 1,245 + * | $675 |
| 2022 | W | Five Dollar Gold | Proof | 2,303 + * | $695 |
| 2022 | S-W-W | 3-Coin Proof Set | Proof | 4,178 + * | $825 |
*Denotes coins that currently are still for sale on the United States Mint’s website.
