Post Your Coins With Stars

Fantastic example!

One I actually have, in the three coin "Profiles" set.

The 2013 5 Star Generals Silver Dollar was the first coin to benefit from new laser frosting and die polishing techniques developed at the US Mint as a method for enhancing its Proof coins (it would later also be used on Brilliant Uncirculated coins as well - 2013-W ASE). The new techniques were developed to enhance the artistic features of a coin's or medal's design via multiple levels of frost and enhanced, selective die polishing.

The US Mint supplied the following graphic to illustrate the die enhancements it implemented for the program's Silver Dollar (the dies for the program's Proof Gold Half Eagle were also enhanced).

Enhanced Laser Frosting and Polishing Techniques for 2013 5 Star Generals Silver Dollar

(Image Credit: US Mint. Media image.)


I don't have a proof version of the coin in my collection to illustrate the enhancements. Maybe jbuck could post his?

In 2015, another three-coin commemorative program was released by the US Mint (by Act of the US Congress) to commemorate the 255th anniversary of the US Marshals Service (never mind that the anniversary occurred in 2014). The program includes a CuNi Clad Half Dollar, a Silver Dollar and a Gold Half Eagle. All three of the coins include a star thanks to the incorporation of the United States Marshals Service Star in their designs.

This post will discuss the Clad Half Dollar. But first, a few words about the Marshals Service...

Congress included a nice overview of the Service in the "Findings" section of the program's authorizing legislation:

(1) The United States Marshals, the first Federal law enforcement officers in America, were established under section 27 of the Act of Congress entitled "Chapter XX.--An Act to Establish the Judicial Courts of the United States" and enacted on September 24, 1789 (commonly referred to as the "Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789"), during the 1st Session of the 1st Congress, and signed into law by the 1st President of the United States, George Washington.

(2) George Washington had carefully considered the appointments to the Judicial Branch long before the enactment of the Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789, and nominated the first 11 United States Marshals on September 24, and the remaining two Marshals on September 25, 1789. The Senate confirmed all 13 on September 26, 1789, 2 days after the Judiciary Act was signed into law.

(3) In 1969, by order of the Department of Justice, the United States Marshals Service was created, and achieved Bureau status in 1974. The United States Marshals Service has had major significance in the history of the United States, and has directly contributed to the safety and preservation of this Nation, by serving as an instrument of civil authority used by all 3 branches of the United States Government.

(4) One of the original 13 United States Marshals, Robert Forsyth of Georgia, a 40-year-old veteran of the Revolutionary War, was the first civilian official of the United States Government, and the first of many United States Marshals and deputies, to be killed in the line of duty when he was shot on January 11, 1794, while trying to serve civil process.

For a great lesson about the US Marshals Service, check out their web site at: https://www.usmarshals.gov/history/index.html The Service's interactive "Historical Timeline" (link at the right on the referenced web site page) provides a great overview of key Marshals Service actions.

The obverse of the Clad Half Dollar features a then-and-now theme with a current-day US Marshal in the foreground at the lower right (shown is the head and partial torso of a female US Marshal) with an Old West US Marshal (male) standing in front of his horse, holding a rifle, in the background. The United States Marshals Service Star is seen on the uniform/protective gear of present-day Marshal. The design was created by Joel Iskowitz, an artist in the Mint's Artistic Infusion Program (AIP), and sculpted by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso.

The coins reverse, presents a blindfolded {i]Lady Justice[/i] (at left) holding a balance scale in her left hand and a US Marshal Service Star in her right, Below the Star is seen a rendering of the US Constitution which gives the US Marshal Service its authority. Also seen are an 18th century whiskey jug (symbolizing the Service's role in helping to quell the 1794 Whiskey Rebellion), railroad tracks (representing the Marshal's role in keeping the railroads running during the Pullman Strike of 1894), a stack of school books topped by an apple (meant to represent the Service's supporting role in the 1960 New Orleans school integration) and a pair of open handcuffs (representing the US Marshals ongoing job of apprehending federal fugitives). Lots of design elements and plenty of symbolism!

The design is the work of US Mint AIP Master Designer Susan Gamble; the design was sculpted by US Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill.


2015 US Marshal Service 225th Anniversary Clad Half Dollar

The third coin of the 2015 US Marshal Service 225th Anniversary commemorative coin program is a Gold Half Eagle.

By its authorizing Act, the coin was required to feature "an image of the United States Marshals Service Star (also known as "America's Star")" on its obverse and a design that was "emblematic of the sacrifice and service of the men and women of the United States Marshals Service who lost their lives in the line of duty and include the Marshals Service motto 'Justice, Integrity, Service'" on its reverse. In meeting this requirement, the designers of the coin achieved the program's most symbolic designs.

The Gold Half Eagle's obverse design is dominated by a depiction of the modern US Marshals Service Star (badge). Behind the Star, in the background, is featured a wide-open scene of the American Western frontier. Within the Star is seen an heraldic eagle with a shield on its breast that includes "1785" - the foundation date of the US Marshal Service. In contrast to the 19th-century badge featured on the Silver Dollar, the Star/badge on the Gold Half Eagle is based on the current Service badge. The obverse design was the work of US Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Donna Weaver; the design was engraved by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz.

The reverse of the coin presents a perched American Bald Eagle with partially outstretched wings. On its breast, is depicted a shield inscribed "U. S. MARSHAL." The eagle is presented with its right talon clutching an oak branch (symbol of strength) and its left holding an olive branch (symbol of peace); a draped US Flag, with 13 stars visible (symbolic of the original 13 states at the time of the Service's creation), is featured in front of the eagle at its right (viewer's left). The reverse design was created by artist Paul C. Balan and engraved by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.


2015 US Marshal Service 225th Anniversary Gold Half Eagle

Indeed...

2013-P 5 Star Generals Proof

The 2019 commemorative coin program to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, the world's first manned space mission to land on the moon, was the second US coin program to use the same obverse and reverse design on each side of all the coins in the program (the 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame program was the first). The program also followed the 2014 Baseball program in its use of a curved/domed shape. The Apollo program includes four coins: a CuNi Clad Half Dollar, traditionally-sized Silver Dollar, a Gold Half Eagle and a 5-ounce, large-format Silver Dollar.

The Apollo 11 mission began at 8:32am (EST) on July 16, 1969 when astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. blasted off atop a Saturn V rocket from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Kennedy Space Center at Merritt Island, Florida. (All times given are Eastern Standard Time - EST.) Armstrong and Aldrin began their descent to the lunar surface inside of the Eagle Lunar Module on July 20, 1969 at 1:12PM when the module separated from Columbia, the Command Module (with Service Module), piloted by Collins. Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon approximately two hours later at 3:17pm.

Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon at 9:56pm. Armstrong and Aldrin remained on the moon for approximately 22 hours, blasting off from the surface at 12:54pm on July 21, 1969. The ascent stage of the Lunar Module docked with Columbia at 4:34pm. The Apollo 11 capsule splashed down on July 24, 1969 at 11:50am in the Pacific Ocean, ~900 miles southwest of Hawaii. The Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Hornet was the recovery ship.

All of the coins in the program feature an obverse design dominated by a lunar footprint and a reverse design featuring (from left to right, viewer's perspective) a US Flag, the shadow of Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and the Lunar Lander. It is the flag that gives each coin its stars.

During the Spring and Summer of 2017, the Mint held a design competition for the coin program - the objective of the contest was to secure an obverse design for the program's coins. The reverse design was specified in the coins' authorizing legislation: "The design on the common reverse of the coins minted under this Act shall be a representation of a close-up of the famous "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" photograph taken July 20, 1969, that shows just the visor and part of the helmet of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, in which the visor has a mirrored finish and reflects the image of the United States flag and the lunar lander and the remainder of the helmet has a frosted finish."

NASA Photograph of "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" (taken by Neil Armstrong)

(Image Credit: National Aeronaurics and Space Administration (NASA), http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/AS11-40-5903HR.jpg. Public Domain.)

Cropped Version of "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" Photograph


The obverse design on the coins pays homage to the building blocks of the US manned space program by including the inscriptions "MERCURY," "GEMINI," and "APOLLO," separated by phases of the Moon. The central design element is a footprint on the lunar surface, with displaced surface material surrounding it; it represents the attainment of the program's ultimate goal. Gary Cooper won the open competition for the obverse design; US Mint Medallic Artist Joseph Menna created the sculpt.

As described above, the reverse design is taken from the "Buzz Aldrin on the Moon" photograph. US Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill adapted the photograph for the coins and created the needed sculpts.


2019 Apollo 11 Shared Coin Designs (Shown via Silver Dollar)



For a discussion of the joint US-Australia Apollo 11 Coin Set, check out:

- 2019 Royal Australian Mint - US Mint Apollo 11 Joint Issue Set

Fantastic!

I really enjoy that issue, even though I am always skeptical of curved coins.

I can certainly understand your view. From the day I received mine from the Mint, I've thought the flag looked short (vertically), like it was missing a few stripes, which, in turn, seemed to over-emphasize its horizontal length.