Collectors will have an option on Thursday, February 16, 2012 to purchase a limited-edition Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar Defenders of Freedom Set at a price of $51.95. The set will launch at the same time (noon ET) as the commemorative proof and uncirculated Infantry Soldier Silver Dollars.
Details of the set were sparse until Monday when the United States Mint added its product page to http://www.usmint.gov/catalog. Limited to a total of 50,000 with a further per household ceiling of 100, each Defenders of Freedom Set contains:
- a proof version of the Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar and
- a replica dog tag on a miniature chain
These items will arrive in a custom folder which includes the silver dollar, dog tag and a printed quote from President John F. Kennedy that highlights the Army motto.
Individual uncirculated and proof Infantry Silver Dollars also going on sale Thursday will have respective introductory pricing of $44.95 and $49.95. As such, the Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar Defenders of Freedom Set is just $2 more than the proof coin by itself, and should prove an attractive offering with the added dog tag and special packaging. Likely to be very appealing to veterans and of course coin collectors, comments have already begun to appear on forums and coin sites that the set’s 50,000 product limit is too low and the household purchase limit of 100 too high.
Both uncirculated and proof silver dollars were designed to be emblematic of the courage, pride, sacrifice, sense of duty and history of the Infantry. The obverse of each depicts a modern Infantry soldier on rocky ground charging forward and beckoning to the troops to follow. The scene is meant to symbolize the "Follow Me" motto of the Infantry. The reverse of each dollar features the crossed rifles insignia, the branch insignia of the Infantry.
The collectible dollars honor the legacy of the U.S. Army Infantry and establishment of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. $10 surcharges for each dollar sold will be targeted toward the museum center to help fund its maintenance.
The Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar Defenders of Freedom Set and individual dollars will be available through the United States Mint website (http://www.usmint.gov/catalog) or through its customer service phone lines at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). The introductory period for the dollars ends after 5 PM ET on March 19, 2012 at which time each will see a price increase of $5. The set pricing will remain the same for the duration of its availability.
why would the household limit be set at 100 when only 50,000 are available. almost as stupid as the 25th anniversary SE’s
Very stupid indeed. Five hundred individual orders could wipe out the whole production run in a matter of hours. Then they’ll show up on “TheCoinVault” for $299.95 a set in two weeks or so..!!
How about a limit of 5 per household??? Sheesh, these planners at the US MINT seriously need some intelligent new people in their ranks.
You guys don’t understand. Obviously the new regime at the mint is dealer oriented – not collector oriented – so large quantity household limits will allow dealers to get the lion’s share of the special set (using employees, family, and friends to order 100 each). However, I don’t see any real collector value in getting a special folder with an imitation dog tag attached to it. Anybody that’s been in the infantry already has two dog tags – and with their own name to boot. Might have been a better salute if the dog tags were replicas of soldiers’ who… Read more »
I see no value in the set and it will cheapen the value of the proof coin. There will be 350,000 coins (across all product options). 50,000 will be chewed up in this set, all proof coins. That leaves 300,000 remaining coins to be split between the proof and uncirculated. Most mint buyers will select the proof version. When this is over, there will probably be, at least, 250,000 proofs out there with a maximum of 100,000 uncirculateds. I know which I would buy. As for the medal, there are collectors that will see value in it, but how many… Read more »
Anyone sending their thoughts directly to the US MINT?
Considering the intelligence or the indifference of the customer service representatives one is likely to reach when calling the US MINT makes that approach rather like trying to teach a pig to sing….
It wastes your time and annoys the pig..!
The idea is great but the coin is weak! The soldier on the coin dosen’t look ready for battle or confident and is not holding the wepon the right way. It looks weak! The reverse is not bad but they can do better. Sorry but the coin is not good enough for me to buy. The US mint thinks, what ever they splat on a blank coin will sell like the end of days. NOT! This coin is far from Beautiful. For these Great US soldiers the coin needed to be a Masterpiece.
Should have stuck with the Iron Mike all Infantrymen Know, Using a modern image alienates our WWII and Vietnam Veterans.
The coin kinda looks like it was just thought up and slapped together.
I appreciate the thought but also feel it should have been more thought out.