The United States Mint has revealed approved designs for next year’s 2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar that is tentatively scheduled for release in March 2010.
Boy Scouts of America BSA Centennial Commemorative Silver Dollar Obverse Design – Click to Enlarge
The US Mint presented 17 obverse (heads side) and 5 reverse designs for consideration. From those, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner approved the two designs that will be used, according to a Mint statement released last week. (See images of the five recommended BSA design candidates.)
The US Mint will produce a maximum mintage of 350,000 Philadelphia struck collector proof and uncirculated $1s to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
Boy Scouts of America BSA Centennial Commemorative Silver Dollar Reverse Design – Click to Enlarge
The obverse depicts a Cub Scout in the foreground with a Boy Scout and female Venturer in the background saluting. Inscriptions include CONTINUING THE JOURNEY, 1910, 2010, IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. It was designed by Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Donna Weaver and engraved by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles Vickers.
The design "represents the Boy Scouts of America of today, as the organization has recognized the need to include other programs for younger boys (cub scouts) and older boys and girls (venturers), reflecting the great diversity of our nation," according to the US Mint.
The reverse features the universal emblem of the Boy Scouts of America. Inscriptions include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, BE PREPARED, E PLURIBUS UNUM and ONE DOLLAR. It was sculpted by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz.
The Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, which former President Bush signed into Public Law 110-363 on Oct. 8, 2008, stipulated that the designs were to be "emblematic of the 100 years of the largest youth organization in United States, the Boy Scouts of America," and provided the following coin specifications for each version:
- a weight of 26.73 grams,
- diameter of 1.5 inches, and
- a composition of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper.
The BSA (http://www.scouting.org/) was founded on Feb. 8, 1910. Since then, over 111 million youth have enjoyed one of the many Scouting programs. It is the largest youth organization in the United States, with 2.8 million youth members and 1.1 million adult leaders in the programs of cub scouting, boy scouting and venturing. Scouts and their leaders volunteer over 35 million hours of service every year to their communities through more than 75,000 service projects.
The mission of the BSA is ‘to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law’.
Public Law 110-363 contains a provision for a $10 surcharge for each silver coin sale. Those surcharges could amount to $3.5 million for the Boy Scouts of America Foundation to help extend Scouting in hard-to-serve areas.
Boy Scouts of America BSA Silver Dollar Candidate Designs
As previously stated, the US Mint originally created 17 obverse and 5 reverse line art designs for consideration. Several recommendations were made by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), and the Boy Scouts of America to narrow down the design candidates to five. The following were the five preferred by the CCAC and CFA, along with their comments as to why.
CCAC Coin Design Recommendations
 BSA Obverse Design the CCAC Recommended |
 BSA Reverse Design the CCAC Recommended |
The CCAC recommended an obverse design depicting a scout dressed in an original 1910 uniform extending a helpful hand during a mountain climb to a modern scout.
"Several individuals expressed concern about the accuracy of some details as rendered on some designs; specifically, the scouts’ tools, uniforms, awards, and patches on the obverse and the slogan on the reverse," stated a CCAC memo outlining the public meeting that was held in Colorado Springs to review the designs.
"Ms Budow [Kaarina Budow from the US Mint] indicated that the United States Mint would work with the Boy Scouts of America to ensure the accuracy of whichever designs were chosen."
The suggested reverse features a representation of the scouts emblem.
CFA Coin Designs Favored
 BSA Obverse Design the CFA Favored (BSA-O-04) |
 BSA Obverse Design the CFA Favored (BSA-O-06) |
 BSA Reverse Design the CFA Favored |
Two obverse designs — designated in the images above as BSA-O-04 and BSA-O-06 — were selected as the favorites from the group.
"BSA-O-04 is particularly clear and straightforward without extraneous elements, and that alternative BSA-O-06 uses a more classical composition with profile portraits," stated Commission Secretary Thomas Luebke in a letter to US Mint Director Ed Moy.
The CFA favored a differing representation of the scouts logo for the reverse of the coin, suggesting it was graphically the strongest.
About the United States Mint
The United States Mint, created by Congress in 1792, is the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage. Its primary mission is to produce an adequate volume of circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and gold, silver and platinum bullion coins.
