U.S. Mint’s July News
Posted on July 08, 2021
By Paul Vanguard, for BullionMax.com
Seems like there's been a ton of news from the U.S. Mint recently, so we thought we'd take the time to get you all caught up. Here's the most recent news from the U.S. Mint.
U.S. Coast Guard 2.5 oz. silver medal design revealed
Although it's a "medal" rather than a coin (meaning it has no face value, just like a silver round), we think the Coast Guard silver medal looks sharp.
U.S. Coast Guard 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal – obverse and reverse. Image courtesy U.S. Mint.
This is the second of five from the U.S. Mint's Armed Forces Silver Medal program. We're still waiting for the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps. There will be bronze versions, and smaller 1 oz silver medals in this series, as well.
The obverse is inscribed with the Coast Guard's motto, semper paratus, which we had to look up. It means, "Always ready." The ship featured, 753, is the cutter USCGC Hamilton which is named for Alexander Hamilton. (Yes, the guy in the play.)
Note how the ship seems to be charging right out of the coin at your face? That's an excellent use of perspective. In some ways it's reminescent of the less-exciting U.S. Air Force medal from the same series:
Pro tip: if you're ever in a plane and you see another plane like this? You're either in a movie or about to die.
Image courtesy U.S. Mint.
2019 Gold Liberty Sold Out
A few days ago, the 2019 American liberty gold coin minted at West Point briefly became the U.S. Mint's top seller, and then sold out completely. It's starting to become a pattern...
The mintage was capped at 50,000 total. Here's a look at what you can't get any longer:
2019 American Liberty gold coin, obverse. Image courtesy U.S. Mint.
Oddly, there's still availability of the 2017 Liberty gold coin in both 1 oz and 1/10 oz sizes. Even though the 2017 design won the Best Gold Coin award at the World Money Fair in Berlin. It seems like a prize-winner would have superior aftermarket value?
Regardless, the entire American Liberty series is exciting. It's refreshing to see contemporary takes on the figure of Lady Liberty. We can't wait to see the design for the 2021 Liberty coin going on sale August 19.
Everybody makes mistakes
We're pretty big fans of the U.S. Mint generally, even though we bust their chops sometimes. And we're about to!
Do you know about the American Innovation $1 coin program? No? Well, imagine the incredibly successful America the Beautiful series. Now, make it hideous. Like, really ugly.
Got it? Now, imagine in addition to being ugly, it also commemorates dumb stuff. Like the first home video game system. Seriously!
Ever wonder what New Hampshire did for America? Now you know...
Image courtesy of the U.S. Mint
Ralph Baer is apparently known as "The Father of Video Games." Maybe he was a really awesome guy. This coin design does him no favors.
But wait -- there's more...
Connecticut, one of the original 13 colonies. Two centuries plus of history. Home of Yale University. What's Connecticut's American innovation?
Frankly, we're not sure...
Image courtesy of the U.S. Mint
Okay, what in the world is that supposed to be? It looks like two machine bolts and some kind of last-minute art project made from a wire coat hanger. Pro tip from our graphic designer: If you need to put a caption on your picture to explain what it is, it's a bad picture.
Maybe they should've put a caption on the New Jersey coin. We still don't know what that thing's supposed to be...
Paul Vanguard is a lifelong precious metals enthusiast and a proud member of the BullionMax team.
