150th Anniversary Commemorative Coin

2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor by an Act of Congress signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in December 1861. In 2009, Congress passed legislation Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009 directing the Secretary of the Treasury to mint two commemorative coins honoring this historic event. In 2011, the U.S. Mint will issue up to 100,000 $5 gold coins consisting of 90% gold and up to 500,000 $1 silver coins consisting of up to 90% silver.

The coins, which are legal tender but not placed in circulation, are ordered direct from the U.S. Mint. The U.S. Mint has developed several designs for both coins and presented them to the Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for review as required by law. The final designs are now under consideration by the Secretary of the Treasury for approval. An example of what the front (obverse) of the two coins could look like is shown below.

Click images to enlarge

Silver Coin Obverse	Gold Coin Obverse

In accordance with Federal Law and U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin or disability. The Foundation is an equal opportunity provider and employer.