US Coins

U.S. Mint moves ahead on three 2016 centennial gold coins

By Paul Gilkes

Published: Nov 11, 2015, 6 AM

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Sculptor Hermon A. MacNeil's Standing Liberty quarter dollar is one of three U.S. coins originally issued in 1916 in silver to be produced in .9999 fine gold centennial versions in 2016.

Original images courtesy of the U.S. Mint.

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The Standing Liberty quarter dollar to be issued in a 100th anniversary issue in 2016 will be struck in quarter-ounce .9999 fine gold. Shown is an early mock-up.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

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Illustrated is an early mock-up for the 2016 Winged Liberty Head dime to be struck in tenth-ounce .9999 fine gold.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

Shown is an early mock-up of what the gold 2016 Walking Liberty half dollar might look like. It is to be struck in half-ounce .9999 fine gold.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

The United States Mint announced late Nov. 10 the bureau is moving ahead with plans to issue centennial editions in 2016 of the Winged Liberty Head dime, Standing Liberty quarter dollar and Walking Liberty half dollar in gold.

The dime and half dollar designed by sculptor Adolph A. Weinman and the quarter dollar by sculptor Hermon A. MacNeil were struck in .900 fine silver when issued in 1916.

Coin World posed a series of questions to Mint officials Nov. 11, including questioning who approved the Mint's 2016 plans and when, and if new images beyond mock-ups released earlier this year were available. Mint offices were closed Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day.

When Mint officials announced plans earlier in 2015 outlining the initiative for the gold commemoratives, the bureau did not have the formal approval from the Treasury secretary or his designee to move forward. The Mint had surveyed collectors in 2014 about a number of commemorative options to mark the 2016 centennial of the three coins.

All three 2016 centennial coins will be manufactured from .9999 fine (24-karat) gold, according to U.S. Mint officials.

To approximate the 1916 coin dimensions, the 2016 Winged Liberty dime will contain a tenth troy ounce of 24-karat gold, the 2016 Standing Liberty quarter dollar will contain a quarter ounce of 24-karat gold, and the Walking Liberty half dollar will contain a half ounce of 24-karat gold.

Details about mintage levels, on-sale dates, pricing and which Mint production facility or facilities will strike the coins will be announced in 2016.

While U.S. Mint officials have not disclosed which production facility will strike each of the three 2016 gold coins and whether they will bear a Mint mark, the obverse of the 2016 Walking Liberty half dollar mock-up image shows the D Mint mark of the Denver Mint, which has not traditionally struck U.S. gold coins in recent years.

The U.S. Mint did release the following information in its Nov. 10 announcement:

In addition to rendering Weinman's and MacNeil's original designs from 1916, the 2016 versions will also incorporate "AU" (the symbol for gold), "24K," and and the weight designated as 1/10 OZ, 1/4 OZ or 1/2 OZ.