This article was originally printed in the latest issue of Numismatic News.
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The Navy might have won the Army-Navy football game 31-17 Dec. 11 in Philadelphia, but Army took away the numismatic trophies – three new commemorative coins, the designs for which were unveiled during the game.
A $5 gold piece, silver dollar and clad half dollar will be issued in 2011 to salute the founding of the U.S. Army in 1775.
Obverse of the $5 coin, which has the theme “Service in War” shows soldiers through the ages starting with the Revolutionary War and representing the Civil War, World War I, World War II and a modern soldier.
It was designed by Joel Iskowitz, an Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) master designer and it was sculpted by Phebe Hemphill, a Mint sculptor-engraver.
On the reverse is the official Army emblem. It was sculpted by Joseph Menna, Mint sculptor-engraver.
The silver dollar honors the “Modern Service” and shows male and female soldiers posed Janus-like looking in opposite directions. The design symbolizes worldwide deployment, according to the Mint, with a portion of the globe in the background.
AIP master designer Richard Masters designed the obverse and it was sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, Mint sculptor-engraver.
Seven core values of the U.S. Army are listed on the reverse of the silver dollar. In the center is the Great Seal of the United States, which has been worn on U.S. Army dress and service uniforms since the early 1800s, according to the Mint.
The reverse was designed by AIP master designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by Don Everhart, Mint sculptor-engraver.
“Service in Peace” is the theme of the clad half dollar.
The Mint says the obverse shows a U.S. Army soldier surveying, two servicemen building a flood wall and a Redstone Army rocket used during early space exploration.
It was designed by AIP master designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Charles L. Vickers, Mint sculptor-engraver.
An enlisted Continental soldier and musket will be on the reverse. It is the work of Thomas Cleveland, AIP master designer, and sculpted by Menna.
This will be the first commemorative clad half dollar since the Bald Eagle issue of 2008.
No more than 100,000 gold $5s, 500,000 silver dollars and 750,000 half dollars will be struck. Collectors will be able to purchase both uncirculated and proof examples directly from the U.S. Mint.
Prices are not yet established. They will include surcharges of $35, $10 and $5 to raise money for the Army Historical Foundation to support the construction of the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Va.
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