Commems Collection Modern: What If? 2005 Medal Of Honor

In 2009, during the 111th Congress, a two-coin commemorative program (Gold Half Eagle and Silver Dollar) was approved to honor the recipients of the United States ("US") Congressional Medal of Honor. (The coins were issued in 2011.)

Note: To date, there have been 3,536 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor; 618 of the medals have been awarded posthumously. The most recent Medals were awarded on June 18, 2026. The recipients were Major James Capers Jr. (US Marine Corps, Retired), Colonel John W. Ripley (US Marine Corps, posthumous) and Major Nicholas Dockery (US Army, Retired).

I have a post about the approved coin program in the works, but wanted to introduce the program's legislative roots as the later bills have noticeable differences.

During the First Session of the 108th Congress, in November 2003, Ken Calvert (R-CA) introduced a bill that called for the Secretary of the Treasury "to mint coins in commemoration of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor." Upon its introduction, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services, with a further referral to its Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology.

Calvert's bill called for the minting of a Gold Half Eagle (up to 50,000) and a Silver Dollar (up to 250,000).

The bill included a fairly extensive "Findings" Section in an effort to build a case for its proposed coin program:

"Congress finds the following:

"(1) The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor that can be bestowed upon a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

"(2) The recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor have conspicuously distinguished themselves by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty.

"(3) The National Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery is a fitting monument to the heroes who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"(4) The National Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery honors the service and sacrifice of each of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"(5) The $1,700,000 required to build the National Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery was raised solely through donations to the Riverside National Cemetery Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial Committee.

"(6) Substantial support exists among the people of the United States for the minting and issuance of coins in commemoration of the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"(7) The people of the United States will be able to keep and hold the coins minted under this Act as a personal memorial to the many heroes who have received the Congressional Medal of Honor."

The bill included general guidelines for the coin designs. The coin designs were to be "emblematic of the values and abilities necessary to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor, such as gallantry and intrepidity." The coins were to be dated "2005".

Note: Per Merriam-Webster, "Intrepidity" is a noun that means the quality or state of being resolutely fearless, dauntless, or possessing bold, unshakable courage.

The Secretary of the Treasury was empowered to select the final designs for the coins, after consulting with the Commission of Fine Arts. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee was to serve in a design review role.

Proof and Uncirculated versions of the coins were to be struck; only one Mint facility was to be used to strike a particular version of a denomination (i.e., a Mint facility could strike EITHER the Proof OR Uncirculated version of a given denomination, but NOT BOTH; a single facility could strike both denominations, however). The Mint was authorized to issue the coins during Calendar Year 2005.

The Issue Price of each coin was to include a per-coin surcharge:

- $35 per Gold Half Eagle
- $10 per Silver Dollar

The collected surcharge funds were to be paid to the Secretary of the Riverside National Cemetery Support Committee, "a nonprofit organization established under the laws of the State of California, for the purposes of--

"(1) maintaining the National Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery; and

"(2) constructing and maintaining such memorials as the Riverside National Cemetery Support Committee and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may jointly designate."

Note: From the Riverside National Cemetery web site:

"The Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery is a distinguished and deeply meaningful tribute dedicated to the brave men and women who have received the United States highest and most prestigious military decoration the Medal of Honor. This memorial honors those service members who, through acts of conspicuous gallantry, self-sacrifice, and extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty, exemplify the very highest ideals of courage, devotion, and heroism."

For more about the National Cemetery and its Memorials, see:

- Riverside National Cemetery

Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery


Representative Calvert re-introduced a near-identical version of his bill in February 2004, during the Second Session of the 108th Congress. It mostly mirrored his previous bill, but changed the Issue Date to 2008 and added a provision to authorize the audit of the Riverside National Cemetery Support Committee - a standard provision of modern United States commemorative coins to ensure sponsor compliance with the requirements needed to receive designated surcharges. (Calvert's previous bill lacked this provision.)

Calvert's new bill received the same referrals as his previous.

Neither bill progressed past its referred Committee, but would return in an updated form a few years later and have much more success. (Stay tuned for the story!)


For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, including other What If? stories, see: Commems Collection