To inspire and educate the American public, the Congress of the United States authorized the issuance of three commemorative coins to honor and celebrate the founding of the United States Army and to celebrate its rich traditions, history, and its role in American society. The Congress authorized three separate coins – a clad Half Dollar coin, a Silver Dollar, and a Five Dollar Gold commemorative coin.
The Half Dollar coin would be struck in copper-nickel “clad” composition. The obverse of the Clad Half Dollar was designed by Donna Weaver. It is a split scene depicting the US Army in peacetime. On the left is a soldier surveying, the center panel depicts two soldiers building a flood wall, and the right panel depicts a Redstone Arsenal rocket, used for space exploration. It is an unusual design for a commemorative coin but still won the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury. The upper periphery has “U. S. ARMY – SERVICE IN PEACE,” while the center panel has the motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” Below the rocket in the right panel is the date “2011.” The lower periphery has the word “LIBERTY.”
The reverse was designed by Thomas Cleveland. It depicts a Continental Army soldier with his musket at the ready. To the right of the soldier are the words “FIRST IN SERVICE TO THE NATION.” Above the Continental soldier are 13 five-pointed stars, representing the 13 original colonies. The upper periphery has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” while the lower periphery has “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and the denomination “HALF DOLLAR.”
(2011-D U. S. Army, Clad Half Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
The Uncirculated versions were struck at the Denver Mint, while the Proof versions were struck at the San Francisco Mint. The combined authorized mintage of 750,000 coins was permitted by Congress.
(2011-S U. S. Army, Clad Half Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse [right].)
The next coin authorized by Congress was the U. S. Army Silver Dollar. The theme for this commemorative silver dollar was to honor the American soldier of today and yesterday and to commemorate the role of the American Army in society today.
Richard Masters designed the obverse of this commemorative silver dollar. The obverse depicts two American soldiers, one male, one female, back-to-back, wearing helmets. Behind them is a large globe. The globe represents the worldwide deployment of the US military anywhere on the globe. Above the soldiers on the upper periphery is the word “LIBERTY.” Below the soldiers in the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and below, on the bottom periphery is the date “2011.”
The reverse of this silver dollar was designed by Susan Gamble. It features the Great Seal of the United States, which adorns all US Army uniforms. Below the eagle is “U. S. Army,” and in a ring around the Great Seal are the seven core values of the United States Army: “LOYALTY, DUTY, RESPECT, SELFLESS SERVICE, HONOR, INTEGRITY, PERSONAL COURAGE.” On the upper periphery is “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” and on the lower periphery is the denomination “ONE DOLLAR.”
The Uncirculated version was struck at the San Francisco Mint, while the Proof version of this silver dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. Between both versions, 500,000 Silver Dollars were authorized by Congress.
(A 2011-S U. S. Army Silver Dollar, Uncirculated, Obverse [left], Reverse {right].)
(A 2011-P U. S. Army Silver Dollar, Proof, Obverse [left], Reverse {right].)
The third and final coin that was authorized by Congress to honor the U. S. Army was a $5.00 Gold commemorative coin. Like the other two coins, the surcharge proceeds were intended for the Army Historical Foundation to support building the National Museum of the United States Army.
The design selections were chosen during the Army-Navy football game played in Philadelphia in December of 2010. This final coin was intended to depict the U. S. Army’s service in war time. The obverse of the $5.00 Gold commemorative coin was designed by Joel Iskowitz. It depicts five different US Army soldiers from different eras in time. Represented are a Revolutionary War soldier, a Civil War soldier, a soldier from World War I, another from World War II and the final soldier is the soldier of today. The five soldiers are in a “V” formation with the word “LIBERTY” on the upper periphery, the date “2011,” to the lower right and on the lower periphery is the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
The reverse depicts a central stand of cannon, flags, and other implements of war, with a banner on which “THIS WE’LL DEFEND” is inscribed. Above it is “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and the upper periphery has “DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY.” Below the central device is “1775,” the denomination, “FIVE DOLLARS,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” on the lower periphery. This was sculpted by the US Mint Engraver, Joe Menna.
(A 2011-P U. S. Army, $5.00 Gold Commemorative, Uncirculated, Obverse {right], Reverse [left].)
The Congress authorized up to 100,000 of these $5.00 Gold commemorative coins to be struck. The Uncirculated version was struck at the Philadelphia Mint while the Proof version was struck at the West Point minting facility.
(A 2011-W U. S. Army, $5.00 Gold Commemorative, Proof, Obverse {right], Reverse [left].)
| Date | Mintmark | Denomination | Type | Mintage | Value |
| 2011 | D | Clad Half Dollar | Uncirculated | 39,442 | $55.00 |
| 2011 | S | Clad Half Dollar | Proof | 68,332 | $65.00 |
| 2011 | S | Silver Dollar | Uncirculated | 43,512 | $70.00 |
| 2011 | P | Silver Dollar | Proof | 119,829 | $80.00 |
| 2011 | P | $5 Gold | Uncirculated | 8,052 | $535.00 |
| 2011 | W | $5 Gold | Proof | 17,148 | $550.00 |
