Coin Blog

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.

On Friday, December 11, 2009 sales of this year's Louis Braille Silver Dollar Commemorative Coin officially ended at the United States Mint. The coins had gone on sale March 26, 2009.

The obverse coin design has a portrait of Louis Braille designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The reverse of the coin features a scene of a child reading Braille in front of a bookcase. Readable Braille characters are also featured with the letters "BRL". This is the first time that readable Braille has appeared on a United States Coin. The reverse was designed by Susan Gamble and sculpted by Joseph Menna.

Recent figures indicate that about 220,000 coins have been sold out of the maximum 400,000. Surcharges added to the cost of each coin ill be paid to the Natoinal Federation of the Blind for programs to promote Braille literacy.

This year, the US Mint issued commemorative coins for Louis Braille and Abraham Lincoln. Next year commemorative coins will feature the Boy Scouts of America and Disabled American Veterans.

This month the US Mint officially unveiled the designs for the upcoming 2009 Louis Braille Coins. This is a commemorative coin issue for the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille's birth and his contribution of the Braille system.

The unveiling took place at the 2008 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind. US Mint Director Edmund Moy did the honors.

The United States Mint is proud to present the 2009 Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar coin design. I am looking forward to presenting the design for this unprecedented coin, and I am pleased that the United States Mint is playing a role in the cause of bringing literacy to all blind and visually impaired Americans.

The reverse design of the coin is notable since it is the first US coin to include readable Braille characters. It includes the Braille letters "BRL" which is short for "Braille." Prior US coins have featured Braille characters, but they have been too small to be considered readable. These include the Alabama State Quarter and the 1995 and 1996 Paralympic Silver Dollars.

A prototype of the Braille Commemorative Coin reverse design is included below.

There are a large number of commemorative coin proposals working their way through the US legal system.  The next few posts will examine some of these newly proposed coins.

First up, the Star Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Coin.   This coin would be issued in 2012 to commemorate the War of 1812 and the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.  The legislative Act calls for production of up to 350,000 Silver Dollar coins.  Each coin will have a weight of 26.73 grams, diameter of 1.5 inches, and composition of 90% silver and 10% copper.

Surcharges from the coin would be paid to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.

The design will be representative of the War of 1812, specifically the Battle of Fort McHenry, which was the basis for our National Anthem, the Star Spangled banner.

Currently the coins have been passed by the House of Representatives.  In order to become law, the Act must be passed by the Senate and signed by the president.