2018 World War I American Veterans Centennial Silver Dollar Designs Announced

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The United States Mint unveiled designs for silver dollars commemorating the 100th anniversary of America’s involvement in the First World War. The ceremonial unveiling happened Oct. 9 during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

2018 World War I American Veterans Centennial Silver Dollar Designs
2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar Designs (obverse and reverse). They were created by LeRoy Transfield.

World War I American Veterans Centennial Silver Dollars will be released in numismatic qualities of proof and uncirculated with up to 350,000 available through calendar year 2018.

Officials at the ceremony included Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, U.S. World War I Centennial Commission Chair Robert Dalessandro, World War I re-enactors, and Thomas Johnson, Chief of Corporate Communications for the United States Mint.

"Our team at the U.S. Mint is proud to have the honor of crafting the coin that will commemorate the contributions and the history made by American men and women — of all walks of life — who bravely stepped forward 100 years ago to defend the interests of the nation and that of her allies," Johnson said.

LeRoy Transfield of Orem, Utah, created the designs while now retired United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart sculpted them. They were selected by the Treasury Secretary based on winning designs from a juried competition. Judges included three members from the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and three members from the Commission of Fine Arts, as required by Public Law 113-212.

2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar (Obverse)
A larger view of the silver dollar’s obverse or heads side design

Transfield’s obverse or heads side design, titled "Soldier’s Charge," depicts an almost stone-like soldier gripping a rifle. Barbed wire twines appear in the lower right-hand side. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, 1918, 2018, and IN GOD WE TRUST. Poppies have been used since 1921 to commemorate soldiers who have died in war.

2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar (Reverse)
A larger view of the silver dollar’s reverse or tails side design

The barbed wire design continues onto Transfield’s reverse design, which is titled "Poppies in the Wire." It shows abstract poppies mixed in with the wire. Inscriptions include ONE DOLLAR, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Surcharges of $10 will be collected on the sale of each commemorative coin with proceeds, after associated costs, paid to the United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars to assist the World War I Centennial Commission in memorializing the centenary of the war.

The U.S. Mint in 2018 will also produce and sell silver medals honoring the Army (see Army medal designs), Navy (see Navy medal designs), Air Service (see Air Service medal designs), Marines (see Marines medal designs) and Coast Guard (see Coast Guard medal designs). Their designs have yet to be revealed.

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Dennis

Wow what a poor representation of a USA doughboy uniform. Helmet is wrong shape. Coat looks like a cross between an Ottoman Empire Jacket and an elastic wristband windbreaker. They need to enlist helpa UNIFORM expert from the US Army ,,, and what happened to his nose?

Brian M

What’s up with the nose?

Seth Riesling

He looks very badly constipated, with all due respect to WWI veterans.

– NumisdudeTX

Tim

The lettering is terrible . It looks like a first grader printed them.They need to put a little style into them. What is the purpose of the Poppie plants, can some one answer that for me ? Other than that I will still buy them . PEACE

Joe Brown

He looks like he did 1 round with Rocky Marcano. Well deserved commemorative better late than never. Their is a great bronze statue in my neighborhood of a WW1 Dough Boy walking of the battle field with a German helmet in his left hand down by his side dangling with two of his fingers around the chin strap & his rifle on his shoulder and a pack on his back, never seen none better. Should have taken a picture & sent it in to the mint, it would have been ideal for this coin, I’m sure picture above was an… Read more »

Morgan Tierney

Poppies have been used since 1921 to commemorate soldiers who have died in war.

Tinto

Do soldiers in WWI charge like that or do they charge with fixed bayonets? Looks like he’s a lefty .. gonna have a little trouble firing and reloading another round quickly since the bolt’s on the right side of the rifle. Looks like his eye is closed too …

Tinto

I took a look at CW website and saw their article dated 10/10 on the 5 silver medals and according to CW .. quote

“Each silver medal will be offered paired with a World War I Centennial silver dollar, as a special set. The silver medals will not be available alone.”

So the Mint is trying everything to foist this coin on other products (just like the proof ASE with the RR C&C set) and thus hype up the sales … sad

Seth Riesling

Tinto –

The worst thing about the five different 2018 Proof U.S. Armed Services medals with Mint marks (P, D, S, W) is that they are only going to be 90% silver (.900 fine)! At least the 2015 & 2017 American Liberty medals are .999 fine silver

-NumisdudeTX

Tinto

Seth

Thank goodness I am not a medal collector, esp. the ones in silver! The Mint doesn’t care maybe because they will get their full salary and whatever bonuses and pensions no matter what and they don’t answer to anybody except the Treasury Secretary and Congress. ….

A Bob

Please explain the eye to me. It looks like two squinting right eyes.

By the by, I read the medals would be struck on one ounce eagle planchets, not 90%.

Seth Riesling

A Bob –

The Mint’s press release yesterday stated the medals will be 90% silver, unless their Office of Corporate Communications public relations specialists were wrong.

-NumisdudeTX

Dennis

I just sent my Congressman an email to contact the New Mint Director to Reject the design. It is an abomination.

Chas Barber

They put a “Hun” on the obverse it seems…….Poppies w/o a poem reference appeals to all those who lived in the 1920’s or so……. with all the possibilities the mint stays on its “winning streak” I hear next will be a 100th anniversary of Election of Woody Wilson (1916) in 2021!

Tinto

So CCAC and CFA were not really consulted as organizations for this one, only that each organization send three reps each who along with the Sec Treasury will judge the contest … I quickly looked at another one and that act calls for the Treasury Secretary to consult both CFA and CCAC as organizations for advice ..

Seth Riesling

Tinto –

Congress gave part of its power over all coinage matters under the Constitution to the Secretary of the Treasury about 15 years ago. Congress wants to pass the laws about coins & then not be bothered with the results! Typical politicians.

-NumisdudeTX

Tinto

Seth

But I’ve read 2 or 3 other laws on commem coinage and I remember that they called specifically for the Treasury Sec. to consult with CFA and CCAC as entire organizations and for instance the CCAC would have meetings to review the design and then give advice .. with details of the meeting written down for the public. Here everything was done under the table in the dark, so to speak.. and BTW the 3 reps from CCAC were all nominated by Congress, no representatie of the general public …

Seth Riesling

Tinto –

This Public Law required a juried competition for the design with judges to include 3 members of each the CCAC & CFA & the Treasury Secretary had to pick from the winning designs (usually the Treasury Secretary picks any design he wants under most coinage public laws & he can disregard the advice of the members of the CCAC & CFA). It is a strange pick for sure!

-NumisdudeTX

Tinto

Seth

I had been hoping for the minutes of the CCAC to be released .. but in this format none will be forthcoming it seems … as it will protect some folks from much warranted criticism ..

Tinto

Seth

Something you wrote just came to mind .. did the CCAC discuss among themselves at to who should represent them … or was the choice driven by the politics of it (i.e. Congress nominated reps) and maybe even by the Treasury Secretary .. glad I have been curtailing my high priced Mint purchases since 2014
now if they could only release a NA $1 C&C set for 2017 …

Seth Riesling

Tinto – You are right that the CCAC is secretive sometimes on certain issues, but they are also dealing with artistic personalities & political personalities & egos too, so it gets rough sometimes I hear. They voted among themselves by secret ballot to pick the 3 judges from the CCAC to represent the committee on this project. i don’t like the outcome on this obverse design but really like the reverse (people in Britain, Canada, Australia etc. still wear poppies on their memorial day or week including members of Parliament- MPs) – so many foreigners will recognize the reverse design… Read more »

Tinto

Seth

Totally agree on that obverse! With apologies to all those who serve or have served but IMO that obverse does them no honor. I mean the wrong rifle (made by the enemy) , an unbalanced helmet, 2 eyes on the right side of the face both shut looks like, vague clothing, invisible portion of body in the double date area, rifle held back in a weird angle, right arm belonging to another solider?, how does this impart the impression of a “Soldier’s ‘s charge” esp in WWI … the reverse is okay ..

Seth Riesling

His two right eyes reminds me of a Picasso painting! Very weird for sure.

-NumisdudeTX

Morgan Tierney

Be glad he has two right eyes. It makes up for the fact he has no shoulders.

AJ

Why does he have his finger on the trigger when he’s either looking down or has his eyes closed? The number two rule of firing a gun is to always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. His finger should be straight above the trigger.

Paul Price

Another disaster design. Incorrect helmet, poor dimensions. Left handed soldier holding the Springfield rifle incorrectly. The rifle is fired right handed because the bolt is on the right side. The Army trains you to shoot right handed. Soldier looks like someone knocked him out. His eyes are closed and his nose looks broken. Another embarrassment like the Cumberland Gap quarter with an incorrect flintlock musket. Where does the Mint find these people. Please, back to the drawling board. Please !! Check out Susan Taylor’s award winning medal ” Remembrance ” for a great WWI design. Wake up people at the… Read more »

Blaire Stone

Its for a good cause so i could overlook the lousy artwork but unfortunately my account advises me not to spend my hard earned money on copper coin.

sam tweedy

Please!!! No more “ZOMBIE” coins ugly, they should melt them and start over. lol.