Companion bills were introduced in House of Representatives (Hamilton Fish, Jr. (R-NY)) and Senate (Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY)) in November 1993 - during the First Session of the 103rd Congress - authorizing the "minting of coins to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the founding of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York." The bills called for a three-coin program (Gold Half Eagle, Silver Dollar and Copper-Nickel Clad Half Dollar). Neither bill was reported out of its respective Committee - House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs - and thus were not acted upon further.
In the Second Session of the same Congress (103rd), a scaled down commemorative coin program for the United States Military Academy (USMA) was amended to the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994. The new program called for one coin - a Silver Dollar - with a maximum mintage of 500,000 coins. The Riegle-Neal bill was signed into law on September 29, 1994 by US President William "Bill" Clinton.
2002 US Military Academy Bicentennial Silver Dollar
The US Military Academy at West Point (USMA) has a history that dates back to the early days of the United States - 1802. Its mission is "to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army." (
US Military Academy - West Point)
The Act specified that the Treasury/Mint could issue the coins from March 16, 2002 through March 16, 2003. All coins, however, had to be struck during 2002. Considering 2002 was 7+ years in the future at the time, the Academy was certainly planning ahead!
The issue price of the coin was specified to include a surcharge of $10, with funds collected paid to "the Secretary to the Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy to assist the Association of Graduates' efforts to provide direct support to the academic, military, physical, moral, and ethical development programs of the Corps of Cadets, United States Military Academy."
The coin's obverse presents a cadet color guard in parade with the Military Academy's Washington Hall and Cadet Chapel in the background. The Academy's bicentennial anniversary dates "1802" and "2002" flank the motto "LIBERTY" at the coin's top rim. The design is the work of then US Mint Sculptor-Engraver
James Ferrell.
West Point Military Academy Parade Grounds
(Image Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Public Domain.)The design on the reverse presents the Bicentennial logo of the USMA. At the center of the design, within a ring, is the Athena Helmet "an emblem that consist[s] of a sword, a universal symbol of war, and the helmet of
Pallas Athena.
Athena, a fully armed mythological goddess, is associated with the arts of war, and her helmet signifies wisdom and learning." (USMA Fact Sheet) The design's bicentennial inscriptions encircle the helmet logo with "1802 WEST POINT 2002" at the top - a second appearance of dual dating on the coin - and "BICENTENNIAL" at the bottom; the two inscription elements are separated by five-pointed stars. The design is the work of then US Mint Sculptor-Engraver
John Mercanti. (Mercanti would go on to become the Mint's 12th Chief Engraver in May 2006.)
The ceremonial "First Strike" of the Silver Dollar was held at the Military Academy on March 14, 2002. The coin's official release was a couple of days later (March 16) during the Academy's official bicentennial celebrations.
The coin was issued in individual Proof and Uncirculated versions. There were
no two-coin sets or special packaging options such as "Young Collectors Set" or "Coin and Stamp Set" available. The Proof version was issued at $33/$37 (Pre-Issue Price/Regular issue Price); the Uncirculated at $30/$32). The Pre-Issue period was from March 16, 2002 through April 29, 2002.
Sales of the Proof version totaled 288,293; the Uncirculated coin sold 103,201 units. Combined, the total sold was 391,494 units - ~78.3% of the total authorized.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other modern US commemorative coin stories,see:
Commems Collection and, for further looks into the coin's designs:
-
2002 US Military Academy Bicentennial - Coins with Stars Thread-
2002 US Military Academy Bicentennial - Coins with Flags ThreadIn 1952, a commemorative medal was struck to mark the Academy's Sesquicentennial. You can read more about it here:
-
1952 West Point Sesquicentennial
Posted 10/26/2023 10:19 am
