Mint releases designs for five military branch medals
- Published: Oct 10, 2017, 11 AM
The U.S. Mint announced the approved designs Oct. 10 for the five 2018 World War I Centennial silver medals to honor the five military branches of the American armed forces involved in that war.
The adopted designs represent the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Service.
Make your ‘worthless’ note worth something Have you noticed the weapons depicted on early American notes? John Kraljevich Jr. puzzles over what’s generally missing from that arsenal, in his “Collecting Paper” column.
Each silver medal will be offered paired with a World War I Centennial silver dollar, as a special set. The silver medals will not be available alone. Additional information about these sets will be available prior to their release in 2018.
The .900 fine silver medals are intended to augment the World War I American Veterans Centennial silver dollar program. The silver dollar is to be issued for sale beginning sometime in January.
The maximum combined mintage is 100,000 coin and medal sets across all five set options.
Connect with Coin World:
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
The medals are to be struck with a Proof finish and will bear the Mint mark of the facility where the medal is struck. The medal diameter is 38.1 millimeters. The composition will be 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper. Each medal will have a plain edge. With the exception that the commemorative dollar has a reeded edge, the medal specifications are the same as those for the commemorative silver dollar.
Approved medal designs
The following details were provided by the U.S. Mint for each of the five medals:
??United States Army: Medal to be struck at West Point Mint with the W Mint mark. The Army medal design depicts a soldier cutting through German barbed wire, while a second soldier aims a rifle amid a shattered landscape of broken trees and cratered earth. A shell explodes in the distance. The medal’s reverse design features the United States Army emblem, which was also in use during World War I, with the inscriptions OVER THERE!, CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I, 2018, and UNITED STATES ARMY.
The obverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Emily Damstra and sculptured by now retired United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Donald Everhart II, who also designed and sculpted the reverse.
??United States Navy: Medal to be struck at the Philadelphia Mint with the P Mint mark. The obverse design of the Navy medal depicts a U.S. Navy destroyer on escort duty after deploying a depth charge in defense of a convoy. Above the destroyer, kite balloons provide Navy personnel a platform to spot submarines and other dangers. The inscription OVER THERE! appears at the bottom of the design. The medal’s reverse design features an officer’s cap device used in World War I. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES NAVY, 2018, and CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I. (Note: An officer's cap device was chosen since an official uniform seal of the United States Navy had not been adopted at the time of World War I.)
The obverse was designed by Chris Costello and sculptured by Michael Gaudioso, while the reverse was designed and sculptured by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon.
??United States Marine Corps: Medal to be struck at San Francisco Mint with S Mint mark. The Marine Corps medal’s obverse design depicts the aftermath of the Battle of Belleau Wood. One Marine stands guard as the other kneels to pay respect to the fallen. The inscription quotes a report to the American Expeditionary Force: WOODS NOW U.S. MARINE CORPS ENTIRELY. The medal’s reverse design features the World War I-era version of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem with the inscriptions CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I, 2018, OVER THERE!, and BATTLE OF BELLEAU WOOD.
The obverse was designed by Costello and sculptured by Gaudioso. The reverse was designed and sculptured by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph F. Menna.
??United States Air Service: Medal to be struck at the Denver Mint with the D Mint mark. The obverse of the Air Service medal design depicts the iconic SPAD S.XIII, a World War I fighter flown by many Americans and valued for its speed, strength, and firepower, viewed from the top and side. The inscription SPAD XIII identifies the aircraft. The medal’s reverse design features the Military Aviator Insignia with the inscriptions CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I, 2018, OVER THERE!, AIR SERVICE, and AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES.
This obverse was designed by AIP Designer Ronald D. Sanders and sculptured by Menna, who also designed and sculptured the reverse.
??United States Coast Guard: Medal to be struck at the Philadelphia Mint with the P Mint mark. The obverse of the Coast Guard medal depicts a lifeboat from the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Seneca heading out in heavy seas toward the torpedoed steamship Wellington. The reverse design features the World War I-era Coast Guard emblem, with the inscriptions CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I, 2018, and OVER THERE!
Both the obverse and reverse of the Coast Guard medal were designed and sculptured by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Silver dollar
The approved obverse and reverse for the silver dollar were unveiled Oct. 9 in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the opening day of the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting and expo.
The 2018 World War I silver dollar has a maximum combined authorization in Proof and Uncirculated versions of 400,000 coins, as stipulated under provisions of Public Law 113-212.
Community Comments
-
US Coins Nov 4, 2024, 10 PM
Nebraska-themed educational exhibits wanted by CSNS
-
US Coins Nov 4, 2024, 12 PM
Monday Morning Brief for Nov. 4, 2024: Think about gift ideas
-
World Coins Nov 3, 2024, 10 PM
British modern mule error submitted for authentication
-
US Coins Nov 3, 2024, 5 PM
ACEF joins SHOP SAFE Act coalition to protect consumers