Coin Blog

The United States Mint released the 2010 Kennedy Half Dollar on January 29, 2010. The Kennedy Half Dollar series began in 1964, although since 2002, the coins have not bee issued for circulation. Rather, a limited number of coins has been produced to satisfy the demand from coin collectors.

The US Mint is selling the 2010 Kennedy Halves packaged in either two roll sets of 200-coin bags. The two roll sets contain one 20-coin roll with the "P" mint mark and one 20-coin roll with the "D" mint mark. These sets are priced at $32.95. The 200-coin bags contain 100 coins for each mint mark. These bags are priced at $130.95.

Since I have collected the series for many years, I pick up a few of the US Mint's two roll sets each year. Although I have heard that the quality of the coins often varies, the rolls I opened last year yielded a few examples that graded MS67 at NGC.

Later in the year, the US Mint will release satin finish versions of the 2009-P&D Kennedy Half Dollar in the uncirculated mint set and clad proof and 90% silver proof versions of the 2009-S Kennedy Half Dollar in the annual proof sets.

The second commemorative coin program of 2010 will be issued for American Veterans who became disabled for life. Their enormous personal sacrifices made for their country will be honored with a silver dollar commemorative coin.

The 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar has an obverse design which features the legs and boots of three veterans. One is noticeably on crutches. An inscription above reads "They Stood Up for Us". The reverse of the coin features a wreath of oak leaves and branches with a forget me not flower at the base. The central inscription reads "Take this moment to honor our disabled defenders of freedom."

The 90% silver dollar coins will be issued in a maximum quantity of 350,000. A surcharge added to the cost of the coins will be for the construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington DC. The coins are expected to go on sale at the US Min in February 2010.

This year the United States Mint will have two different commemorative coin programs. One of them will celebrate the centennial of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. A silver dollar will be issued with a maximum mintage of 350,000 coins.

The 2010 Boy Scouts Centennial Silver Dollar features an obverse design of three scouts saluting. This includes one cub scout, one boy scout, and one female venturer. The inclusion of the female has frankly caused confusion for many people at first glance since the topic of the coin is the Boy Scouts. The female is part of the venturing program, which allows both males and females to join. The reverse of the coin features the universal logo of the Boy Scouts of America.

The coins will be minted in proof and uncirculated with a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper. The maximum mintage is 350,000 coins. The expected release date is March 2010.

The United States Mint has released the designs for the upcoming 2010 First Spouse Gold Coins. These issues will cover the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th Presidencies of the United States. The coins will feature three First Ladies and one of the "Liberty" designs issued for James Buchanan who did not marry.

The three spouse coins feature a portrait of the First Lady on the obverse paired with a reverse design featuring a scene or image emblematic of their lives or work.

Abigail Fillmore First Spouse Coin
13th Presidency
1850-1853

The Abigail Fillmore gold coin reverse features an image of her shelving books in the White House Library. She had purchased the first volumes for the White House collection with an appropriation received from Congress. Designer of the obverse was Phebe Hemphill with the reverse by Susan Gamble.

Jane Pierce First Spouse Coin
14th Presidency
1853-1857

The Jane Pierce First Spouse Gold Coin features an image of the First Lady watching Senate debates within the US Capitol Building. She is known to have sat to listen to the heated debates on the topic of slavery. The obverse and reverse designs are by Donna Weaver.

James Buchanan's Liberty Gold Coin
15th Presidency
1857-1861

The James Buchanan's Liberty coin features the image of Liberty used for the Liberty Head $2.50 Gold Quarter Eagle, originally designed by Christian Gobrecht. This represents the fourth coin in the Liberty sub set of coins, issued for Presidents who served without a spouse. The reverse features a young James Buchanan working as a bookkeeper in the family store. This was designed by David Westwood.

Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Coin
16th Presidency
1861-1865

The final First Spouse release for the year 2010 will feature Mary Todd Lincoln. This is expected to be a popular issue, as she was the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, a figure popular in history and numismatics. The reverse depicts the First Lady visiting some wounded Union soldiers bringing flowers and books. This was designed by Joel Iskowitz. The obverse was designed by Phebe Hemphill.

H.R. 6184 America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 was signed into law on December 23, 2008. This will create a new series of National Park Quarters to follow the 50 State Quarters Program and Washington DC & US Territories Quarters Program.

The new series would feature at least 56 quarters with designs emblemnatic of a National Park or National Site in each of the 50 States, plus Washington DC and the US Territories. The quarters would be released at a rate of five per year in the order that each park or site was designated. This will give the new program a duration of at least 11 years. In the ninth year of the program, the Secretary of the Treasury has the option to expand the program for a second round of designs, bringing the program duration to 22 years.

The bill also provides for the production of oversized silver repliacs of each National Park Quarter. These replicas would be 3 inches in diameter, contain 5 ounces of .999 silver, and have incused edge lettering. The replicas would carry the 25 cent denomination.

There have been some mixed opinions on another long series of "new State Quarters." Since 1999, there have been an endless parade of series redesigns which all utilize the concept of a rotating reverse design. Unfortunately, it looks like constantly changing coin designs are becoming the norm rather than the exception.

The first National Park Quarters will be released in 2010.