US Coins

Purple Heart commemorative coin legislation now law

Diagram identifies details of the current Purple Heart.

Image courtesy of Purple Heart Donations.

Legislation authorizing a three-coin commemorative program in 2022 to honor the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor was signed into law Dec. 22 by President Trump.

H.R. 1830 was introduced March 18, 2019, in the House by Rep. Sean Maloney, D-N.Y. The Senate approved the legislation Nov. 16, 2020, with an amendment changing the surcharge recipient. The House reconsidered and passed the amended bill Dec. 2, 2020.

The law requires the production and release combined in Proof and Uncirculated versions of up to 50,000 gold $5 coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 copper-nickel clad half dollars.

Surcharges of $35, $10 and $5, are to be added to the purchase price of each coin, respectively.

Net surcharges, after the Mint has recouped all of its production and associated costs, are to be paid “to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc., to support the mission of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc., including capital improvements to the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.”

The hall is located in New Windsor, New York.

The Purple Heart was established by Gen. George Washington at Newburgh, New York, on Aug. 7, 1782.

The first awards were cloth badges.

The first official medals were awarded in 1917 to U.S. military personnel wounded or killed during World War I.

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