Five Modern Commemorative Coins To Collect

Modern commemorative coins are popular among collectors for their limited mintage and historical significance. Some of the top coins to collect include the 1982 George Washington Half Dollar, the first modern U.S. commemorative coin, the 2001 American Buffalo Silver Dollar, which celebrates Native American culture, and the 2014 Civil Rights Act of 1964 Silver Dollar. These coins not only honor important events and figures but also often appreciate in value over time due to their collectible nature and artistic designs.

Though there are many interesting modern commemorative coins, these five are especially noteworthy for their designs and themes and are accessible to almost any collector at today’s prices.

1982 George Washington half dollar

In 1980 a congressional aide interested in coins came up with the idea of issuing a commemorative coin to mark the 250 ^th anniversary of George Washington’s birth in 1732. At the time the Treasury department opposed issuing such coins because of the widespread overproduction of commemoratives issued in the 1930s to 1950s, which is why there had been no such coins issued since 1954.

But this proposal was popular with the Treasury, the U.S. Mint and Congress, resulting in the passage of legislation in 1981 for the striking of up to 10 million half dollars bearing an image of Washington riding a horse on the obverse made in .900 silver, which had not been used since 1964. The reverse depicts Mount Vernon. The coin was designed by Elizabeth Jones, the new Chief Engraver at the Mint who took over when Frank Gasparro retired.

2.2 million 1982-S Proofs were made of this coin plus 4.9 million 1982-D uncirculated pieces, and they were struck in 1982 and 1983 and sold until 1985. Any coins left at that time were melted.

These coins are readily available and accessible to almost anyone. The top grades are MS69 at $65 and PF70 at $88. Two piece sets of the raw coins are very affordable.

They are significant as the first modern commemorative issues and sport a great design. They helped spur a new era in U.S. coinage with the release of many commemoratives in the 1980s and 1990s until Congress voted to limit them to two such programs per year.

2001 Buffalo silver dollar

Former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Native American, had long sought to have the Buffalo nickel reintroduced. He eventually decided to pursue a silver dollar for collectors. In 1999 the Smithsonian launched the National Museum of the American Indian, which received a portion of the proceeds.

The design was that of the 1913 Buffalo nickel, which had long been a numismatic favorite, with slight modifications by the Mint’s engravers, especially to the inscriptions. These coins were struck in mint state in Denver and Proof at Philadelphia, and their mint marks are incuse.

They were an instant hit, selling out of the entire 500,000 mintage Congress authorized within two weeks of their launch on June 7, 2001. Final mintages were 227,131 BU coins (which includes coins sold in a special set paired with a $5 1899 silver certificate reprinted for the set) and 272,869 Proofs. The coin remains perhaps the single most popular modern commemorative silver dollar.

Currently, the BU coin runs about $100 in all grades except MS70 at $320, while the Proofs are $115 until PF69 at $150 and PF70 at about $350. During some prior years the graded 70s for this issue were selling for over $1,000 each.

2009 Lincoln silver dollar

Long considered America’s most popular president, Abraham Lincoln had been honored since 1909 on the cent issued to mark the 100 ^th anniversary of his birth. But this is the only modern silver coin that pays tribute to him, issued to mark the 200 ^th anniversary of his birth.

The well-designed piece features a stunning portrait of Lincoln on the obverse and the last 43 words of his Gettysburg address on the reverse. They sold out within a month with sales of 125,000 mint state and 325,000 Proofs both struck at the Philadelphia Mint.

Both versions are available today for just a few dollars over issue price. The BU coins run only $40 today until MS70 at a modest $62, while Proofs are  in the low $40s until PF70 at $78.

2014 Baseball Hall of Fame coins

To mark the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Congress authorized the issuance of a commemorative program of half dollars, silver dollars and $5 gold coins that would be the first U.S. coins ever struck in a curved shape, i.e., concave on the obverse to resemble a baseball glove and convex on the reverse to resemble a baseball. The obverse design was selected through a competition and the design of Cassie McFarland was chose, while the reverse is the creation of former senior Mint artist and engraver Don Everhart.

These coins were very popular, selling out of the 50,000 authorized mintage of gold coins quickly. The silver dollars sold 131,311 of the mint state coins and 267,557 or about 80% of the max for that option plus 147,934 clad halves in mint states and 258,643 in Proof.

Sports is one of the most popular themes on modern commemoratives, but these coins are particularly special because they were a major departure from past coinage in terms of their shape, which contributed to making them a success for the Mint. While they were not a complete sellout, their sales were markedly higher than most recent programs.

The silver dollar today brings about $70 in most mint state grades and $110 in MS70, while the Proof dollar are worth a bit more at $85-100 and $150 in PF70. Raw sets are  very affordable at $120.

These coins are also widely collected with special labels signed by baseball players.

2019 Apollo 11 50^th anniversary 5-ounce dollar

In 2014 Michael Olson, a banker and coin collector who was serving on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee at the time, suggested that the upcoming 50 ^th anniversary of the landing on the moon of the Apollo 11 team – a key moment in American and world history that marked a huge triumph for our country and mankind – should be honored with a commemorative program.

Olson worked with the Congress to get legislation for this program approved, and they authorized a terrific trio of clad half dollars, silver dollars and $5 gold coins all in the concave/convex shape with a concave obverse design selected through a competition and a convex reverse designed by Mint staff that was inspired by Buzz Aldrin’s famous photo of him and Neil Armstrong on the moon. It depicts the faceplate of an astronaut with the image from that photo shown as a reflection in the visor. The obverse created by Maine artist Gary Cooper that shows the famous boot print Armstrong left on the lunar surface as he stepped on to it.

Collectors loved everything about these coins – the curved shape, the great designs and a theme that resonates with everyone, and the coins were very strong sellers. What’s more, besides the usual mint state and Proof versions of each coin, for the first time ever the Mint issued a 5-ounce Proof silver coin with the same design which probably would have sold out were it not for production delays.

68,259 of the spectacular 5-ounce coin were sold, and they are available today for about $300 raw and more for  PF70 examples with special labels.

There is also a special 2-coin half dollar set that includes a Kennedy half dollar only available through the set.