The 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life commemorative coin program included only a Silver Dollar (no gold Half Eagle or CuNi Clad Half Dollar). Per its authorizing legislation, the coin was to be struck "in commemoration of veterans who became disabled for life while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States."
The coin's bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by Dennis Moore (D-KS) in January 2007 on behalf of himself and Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL); a companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Timothy Peter Johnson (D-SD) on behalf of himself and over a dozen other Senators. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on July 17, 2008 as Public Law 110-277.
As nearly all modern US commemorative coins do, the Silver Dollar carried a surcharge that raised funds. In this case, the sponsor/beneficiary was the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation. Per the legislation, the funds were to be used for the construction of the American Veterans' Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, DC. The memorial follows the modern aesthetic for such memorials: it features an open-air design, making significant use of marble walls, etched glass and water via a reflecting pool.
The Memorial Foundation secured the memorial's design and saw the project through its dedication on the National Mall (near the Capitol Building) in 2014 and then turned it over to the National Park Service for continued management and maintenance. A great overview of the the Memorial can be found here:
Disabled American Veterans Memorial.
Per the Mint, the designs of the coin "are emblematic of the many stories of our disabled veterans' courage, loyalty and sacrifice."
The coin's obverse design presents a view of the legs and boots of three soldiers; one of the soldiers depicted is an amputee on crutches (at right, viewer's perspective). A ribbon that encircles the top half of the coin near the rim features the poignant inscription: "THEY STOOD UP FOR US". The design was created and sculpted by
Don Everhart, a US Mint Sculptor-Engraver.
The reverse design includes an oak leaf wreath with intertwined ribbon and a forget-me-not flower at the wreath's bottom. Within the wreath is seen the inscription "Take / This Moment / to Honor Our / Disabled / Defenders of / Freedom". The design was created by Thomas Cleveland, an outside artist included in the Mint's Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) as a Master Designer; it was sculpted by
Joseph Menna, at the time a Medallic Artist within the US Mint. Menna is the Mint's current Chief Engraver (since February 2019).
The Mint offered the coin in Proof and Uncirculated versions; no two-coin sets were offered, nor were any other special sets (e.g.,
Coin & Stamp Set). The Pre-Issue price for the Proof coin was $39.95, the Uncirculated was $33.95. The Regular Issue prices were $43.95 and $35.95, respectively. The prices included a $10 surcharge per coin; coin sales raised ~$2.8 million dollars for the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation.
The authorizing legislation for the coin allowed for up to 350,000 coins to be struck. Total sales approached this figure, reaching just over 80% of it. Proof coin sales totaled 202,970 units, with the Uncirculated version selling 78,101 units. Total sales for the coin were 281,071. The coins were struck at the West Point Mint.
2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar
I think a very impactful
Coin & Stamp Set could have been created by combing the 2010 Silver Dollar with the se-tenant stamps of 1970 that paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization and US Prisoners of War / Killed or Missing in Action (MIA). A missed opportunity IMO.
DAV US Servicemen Stamps
For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on modern US commemorative coins, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 10/05/2022 3:43 pm
Uncirculated American Silver Eagles 
