Congressional leaders Sept. 10 presented a congressional gold medal posthumously “in commemoration to the [13] servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021, during the evacuation of citizens of the United States and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport.”

The presentation ceremony was held in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.

Public Law 117-72 signed Dec. 16, 2021 by President Joe Biden started out its life as H.R. 5142, introduced in the House on Aug. 31, 2021, by Rep. Lisa C. McClain, R-Michigan.

Thirteen service members were killed in a suicide bombing, for which responsibility was claimed by ISIS-K, amid evacuations of thousands of people at the airport, as the U.S. and other nations removed troops from Afghanistan.

ISIS-K is the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the Islamic State active in South Asia and Central Asia.

Bronze duplicate medals replicating the same designs as the gold medal will be offered by the U.S. Mint in 1.5 inch and 3-inch Matte Finish versions with plain edges. The bronze duplicates will be struck at the Philadelphia Mint without the facility’s P Mint mark.

The 1.5 inch medal retails for $20 and each 3-inch bronze medal for $160. The 1.5 inch duplicate medal will be composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc, while the 3-inch version will be composed of 90% copper and 10% zinc.

The medal’s obverse was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Sculptor Phebe Hemphill. The design illustrates silhouettes of five service members overlooking a single passenger plane set to evacuate the thousands of Afghan allies gathering at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The reverse design, also designed and sculpted by Hemphill, features a closed oak wreath with American flag at top, with an inscription listing the names of the 13 killed within the wreath.

The enabling law for the gold medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ72/pdf/PLAW-117publ72.pdf.

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Congressional leaders Sept. 10 presented a congressional gold medal posthumously “in commemoration to the [13] servicemembers who perished in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, 2021, during the evacuation of citizens of the United States and Afghan allies at Hamid Karzai International Airport.”

The presentation ceremony was held in Emancipation Hall of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center.

Public Law 117-72 signed Dec. 16, 2021 by President Joe Biden started out its life as H.R. 5142, introduced in the House on Aug. 31, 2021, by Rep. Lisa C. McClain, R-Michigan.

Thirteen service members were killed in a suicide bombing, for which responsibility was claimed by ISIS-K, amid evacuations of thousands of people at the airport, as the U.S. and other nations removed troops from Afghanistan.

ISIS-K is the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the Islamic State active in South Asia and Central Asia.

Bronze duplicate medals replicating the same designs as the gold medal will be offered by the U.S. Mint in 1.5 inch and 3-inch Matte Finish versions with plain edges. The bronze duplicates will be struck at the Philadelphia Mint without the facility’s P Mint mark.

The 1.5 inch medal retails for $20 and each 3-inch bronze medal for $160. The 1.5 inch duplicate medal will be composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc, while the 3-inch version will be composed of 90% copper and 10% zinc.

The medal’s obverse was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Sculptor Phebe Hemphill. The design illustrates silhouettes of five service members overlooking a single passenger plane set to evacuate the thousands of Afghan allies gathering at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The reverse design, also designed and sculpted by Hemphill, features a closed oak wreath with American flag at top, with an inscription listing the names of the 13 killed within the wreath.

The enabling law for the gold medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ72/pdf/PLAW-117publ72.pdf.

Connect with Coin World:  
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Access our Dealer Directory  
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on X (Twitter)
Keep in touch on MyCollect - the social media platform for collectibles 

Whether you’re a current subscriber or new, you can take advantage of the best offers on magazine subscriptions available in digital, print or both! Whether you want your issue every week or every month, there’s a subscription to meet your needs.