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.
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.
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.
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.
