Skip to main content

United States Mint unveils designs for American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program

The American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program designs are unveiled at the American Legion conference August 29, 2018, in Minneapolis, Mn. U.S. Mint photo by Tracy Scelzo Chavez.

Minneapolis — The United States Mint joined the American Legion at its national convention at the Minneapolis Convention Center to unveil designs for the 2019 American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Program.

The artists in the Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program created the designs that will appear on gold, silver, and clad coins as mandated by Public Law 115-65, the legislation authorizing this coin program. The Mint’s sculptor-engravers executed the designs.

Hover to zoom.

$5 Gold Coin Obverse Design

Designer: Chris Costello
Sculptor-Engraver: Phebe Hemphill
This design commemorates the inception of the American Legion and its mission to serve America and its war veterans. The outer geometric rim design from the American Legion emblem, the Eiffel Tower, and V for victory represents the formation of the organization in Paris in 1919 at the end of World War I. Inscriptions are IN GOD WE TRUSTLIBERTY1919, and 2019.

$5 Gold Coin Reverse Design

Designer: Paul C. Balan
Sculptor-Engraver: Joseph Menna
This design depicts a soaring eagle, a symbol of the United States during times of war and peace alike. The American Legion emblem is depicted above the eagle. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA$5, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Silver Dollar Coin Obverse

Designer: Paul C. Balan
Sculptor-Engraver: Renata Gordon
This design depicts the American Legion emblem adorned by oak leaves and a lily, commemorating the founding of the American Legion in Paris, France. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and 2019.

Silver Dollar Coin Reverse

Designer: Patricia Lucas-Morris
Sculptor-Engraver: Michael Gaudioso
The design represents the founding of the American Legion in Paris in 1919. Above the crossed American and American Legion flags is a fleur-de-lis and the inscription 100 Years of Service. Additional inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1919, 2019, $1, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Clad Half Dollar Coin Obverse Design

Designer: Richard Masters
Sculptor-Engraver: Phebe Hemphill
This design depicts two children standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, the little girl proudly wearing her grandfather’s old American Legion hat. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, 2019, IN GOD WE TRUST, and I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG…

Clad Half Dollar Coin Reverse Design

Designer: Richard Masters
Sculptor-Engraver: Joseph Menna
The design completes the phrase from the obverse “I pledge allegiance to the flag… of the United States of America.” It depicts an American Flag waving atop a high flagpole as seen from the children’s point-of-view from the ground below. The American Legion’s emblem is featured just above the flag. Additional inscriptions are E PLURIBUS UNUM and HALF DOLLAR.

Line art of the 2019 American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coins is available here.


The authorizing legislation for the American Legion 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coins also calls for the Mint to collect surcharges from coin sales—$35 for each $5 gold coin, $10 for each silver dollar coin, and $5 for each half dollar clad coin. The surcharges are authorized to be paid to the American Legion to support the Legion’s programs for veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and other purposes specified by the authorizing legislation.

The Mint will announce the release date and additional pricing information for this coin program prior to its release in early 2019.

About the United States Mint

Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including Proof, Uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

Press release courtesy of the United States Mint.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Stack’s Bowers Galleries to display the Cardinal Collection Educational Foundation tribute to Benjamin Franklin’s Libertas Americana medal

Hover to zoom. Santa Ana, CA (December 19, 2020) — Stack’s Bowers Galleries is pleased to announce that it will display an incredible tribute to the Libertas Americana medal, assembled by the Cardinal Collection Education Foundation, at the upcoming Florida United Numismatists Convention in Orlando, January 9-11, 2020. The display, centered around one of the most beautiful and important medals struck in American history, will be found at the firm’s bourse tables 420-422. Back by popular demand, this collection drew dozens of interested collectors at the ANA convention in August and will be enjoyed once more by those attending this year’s FUN show. Following decisive victories at Saratoga and Yorktown, Benjamin Franklin wrote to the United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs Robert Livingston: This puts me in mind of a medal I have had a mind to strike… representing the United States by the figure of an infant Hercules in his cradle, strangling the two serpents; and France by that ...

Community Voice Response: Jan. 1, 2020

From the Dec. 13 Numismatic News E-NewsLetter What are your numismatic resolutions for the new year? Here are some answers sent in from our E-Newsletter readers.   One of my numismatic resolutions is to do what I can to make sure coin collector’s concerns are represented and NOT deep-pocket businesses. Ron Brown Address Withheld   My resolution is to encourage everyone in the world to never again buy from the U.S. Mint, considering the 2019-S Enhanced Reverse Proof fiasco. Steve McGowan Algonac, Mich.   First, I want to pay for the coins I purchased in 2019. Secondly, I want to pre-order my 2020 silver eagles graded. Merry Christmas to all! Timothy Kenyon Mechanicsburg, Pa.   One of my resolutions is not to end up with 20 2020 ASE’s in different holders/OGP/signatures as I did in 2019. Donovan Hamilton Address Withheld   We want to bring the enjoyment of the hobby to as many young people as possible and to keep the future of numismatics brig...

Letters to the Editor: Nov. 12, 2019

War in the Pacific ‘W’ Mintmark I was in the self-checkout at Walmart four weeks ago here in Mt. Vernon, Ill., and received a little bit of loose change for my purchase. I didn’t check it until I got home and was very surprised to find a War in the Pacific with a “W” mintmark. I’m just wondering if it’s something that I should send in to one of the grading companies. In other words, would it be worth more later on by doing so? I understand that it’ll cost at least   $30.00 to do so and also heard that “in the raw” is only worth maybe $25. I   hope to hear a reply. Name and address withheld   In Response to Richard Giedroyc’s Commentary I politely disagree with erudite and longtime numismatic colleague, Richard Giedroyc, whose Numismatic News story, “Get Rich” Promotion Wrong Angle for Healthy Market Growth,” was critical of a recent CNBC story entitled, “People have been making up to $100,000 off ‘coin hunting.’” He doesn’t think the hobby will benefit with an a...