2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Designs Unveiled

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The United States Mint today unveiled the winning designs for $5 pink gold, $1 silver and 50c clad 2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coins. The unveiling ceremony happened at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s headquarters in New York.

Designs for 2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coins
Obverse and reverse designs for the 2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coins feature a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and two women

Emily Damstra, a member of the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program, created the designs that will be shared among the three coins.

The pink-hued gold coin will be a first for the U.S. Mint. It will be composed in 85% gold, 14.8% copper, and 0.2% zinc, according to United States Mint Design and Engraving Manager Ron Harrigal. The blended composition was selected after extensive testing for optimal coloring and coining.

Obverse Design for 2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coins
The obverse (heads) design shows two women and a butterfly, plus inscriptions of LIBERTY, 2018, and IN GOD WE TRUST

Damstra’s obverse feature a butterfly and two women. The older woman has her hands on her chest and a relieved expression on her face. The younger woman, with a scarf on her head, holds one hand over her chest and the other raised in a fist as if she is ready to fight. U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill sculpted the design.

Reverse Design for 2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coins
The reverse (tails) design depicts a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly in flight, a symbol of hope. Inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS, and the respective denomination of each coin.

Reverses depict a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly in flight, a symbol of hope. U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon sculpted the design.

Designs for the trio of coins resulted from a juried competition authorized by Congress with the passing of the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 114-148). Last year, the U.S. Mint invited U.S citizens and permanent residents to participate in the design contest. The law required the competition be judged by an expert jury chaired by the Treasury Secretary and consisting of three members from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and three members from the Commission of Fine Arts.

Beginning on March 15, 2018, the U.S. Mint will sell up to 50,000 $5 pink gold coins, 400,000 silver dollars and 750,000 clad half-dollars. Pricing details will become available closer to the coins’ release. Under the terms of the law, a surcharge of $35 per gold coin, $10 per silver dollar and $5 per clad half-dollar will be added to each coin sale with collected funds paid to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (www.bcrfcure.org) for furthering research.

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Nels

Wow now I like this if they don’t come all scratched up!

lonnie

beautiful coin, please put it in a fancy box like the spouse coins came in—except make the box a really nice shade of pink. make this coin a sell out, it is for a great cause.

vadim

Very nice. But I feel like something is missing from the obverse design. Maybe its just me.

A Bob

Three coins, same design. Glad I only collect uncirculated.
Not a fan of the obverse. I was hoping for more symbolism rather than an old lady coin. We got that in 1995.

Getting back to the positive, great reverse.

Chas Barber

What is with these new designs, they like the barb wire, so put it on front and back, heck a butterfly is cute, place one on the obverse & reverse……such imagination, PINK gold kool, & it’s an ok design, except the closer woman looks like ET’s mom IMHO…….

Louis

Google the connection between breast cancer and butterflies, spec. monarch ones, and the design will make more sense. I think it’s a good design overall, but I am not ecstatic about it. I think the French 2 euro on the same theme is better.

Joe Brown

nice job on the girls faces it really captures what one woman went though, of all her pain and suffering & being grateful she is a survivor, & the other woman with her right arm raised with a fist of victory in the fight for her life, well done. I remember watching that butterfly hatch it self downtown at the children’s museum one early Saturday afternoon everyone else was watching to sea a snake eat the mouse for lunch except for me and a little girl, i pointed out to the girl what was going to happen, she let out… Read more »

Joe Brown

just in case, the kid was older, i’m pretty sure it was 1970 not last week*+*peace*+*

jim

The US Mint should talk to Ottawa to see how to add some color to the butterfly. It’s a black and white picture in a color world.

JAN M FOX

I have the highest regard for the disease of cancer in BOTH sexes ( I am a prostate cancer survivor)…but there is a tremendous amount of public awareness to this in particular…. do we need a coin to publicize it?

Joe Brown

JAN M FOX – Hi*, yes there is a good amount of public awareness in the USA* from all our major sports teams all the way down to our youth sports every year, & there are others beside sports. It would really be nice tho, if all those coins sell out. Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars of our money would go to the Breast Caner Research Foundation, & it very well could happen sea*in that its a first coin of this type for our mint*. yes their is so many caners out there that do not get the public… Read more »

JAN M FOX

All your points are well-taken…if people feel comforted or encouraged by owning these coins, great. You could just make a donation to the ACS…The us mint makes money on these as well…it’s a sensitive issue so I hope the program succeeds…For my part as a collector I think the Congress/ Mint should stick with topics on important people, places and events in American history for their commemorative program…societal issues and concerns could be a slippery slope in the future…thanks for your best wishes

Joe Brown

by the way, my first thought was congratulations, for surviving your cancer, i hope your mind is more at ease now and grow strong and healthy each day*+* keep the faith*+*.

Joe Brown

i would like nothing better for our Gov* along with our mint* to produce coins & medals related to the history to our country*, their has been so many lost opportunities over the years. Unfortunately politics gets in the way to do the right things, me* only* as far as coins and medals go, most of but not all are afraid to piss each other off because of putting them self*s in jeopardy, it seems to me* its an all time high. As far as our mint* making a profit on what they sell, i would hope so, no one… Read more »

Joe Brown

lol.