2017 Boys Town Commemorative Coins Launch

Today, Mar. 9, the United States Mint started taking orders for coins commemorating Boys Town’s century of service.

Spread across seven different products, available options include gold, silver and clad coins in proof and uncirculated finishes and a three-coin proof set.

Surcharges collected on the sale of each coin will benefit Boys Town (www.boystown.org) with its mission of caring for and assisting children and families in underserved communities across America. The non-profit was established in 1917 as an orphanage for boys by Father Edward J. Flanagan. Since that humble founding, the organization has grown to include 12 regional headquarters spread across the United States.

Boys Town Commemorative Coin Designs

Father Flanagan is shown on the obverse (heads side) of the gold coins along with inscriptions of "BOYS TOWN CENTENNIAL," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "FR. EDWARD FLANAGAN," "LIBERTY," and "2017." The obverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.

Weaver also designed the reverses (tails side) of the $5 gold coins. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz executed the design for coins. It features an outstretched hand holding a young oak tree growing from an acorn. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "THE WORK WILL CONTINUE," "FIVE DOLLARS," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM." 

Silver dollar obverses show a young girl sitting alone and gazing upward into the branches of an oak tree. Inscriptions read "BOYS TOWN," "When you help a child today…," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," and "1917-2017." AIP Designer Emily Damstra created the design and Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted it.

$1 coin reverses feature an oak tree offering shelter and a sense of belonging to a family seen holding hands below it. Damstra and Menna are also responsible for its design and sculpting which incorporates the inscriptions of "…you write the history of tomorrow," "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "ONE DOLLAR," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

Finally, the clad half-dollar obverse was created by AIP Designer Chris Costello and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon. It depicts an older brother holding the hand of his younger brother as they walk toward Father Flanagan’s Boys Home. Inscriptions read  "BOYS TOWN," "1917," "2017," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," and "Saving Children."

Found on the reverse is a present-day Boys Town neighborhood of homes. Out of these homes come young adults who graduate from high school and the Boys Town program. The design, by Costello with sculpting by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill, includes the inscriptions of  "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "Healing Families," and "HALF DOLLAR."

Mintages and Pricing

Public Law 114-30, which authorized the coins, dictates maximum mintages of no more than 50,000 $5 gold, 350,000 $1 silver, and 300,000 half dollar clad coins.

Initial pricing for the new products is as follows:

As shown in the chart, the U.S. Mint offers introductory pricing. A $5 discount for each individually sold coin will be in effect through 3:00 p.m. ET on April 10, 2017.

*Gold coin prices may be adjusted weekly based on the U.S. Mint’s pricing schedule. This matrix links the price of precious metal coins to fluctuations in market conditions and is evaluated weekly.

Ordering and Surcharges

Boys Town gold, silver and clad coins may be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint’s website via this link to its commemorative coins. They may also be ordered by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

Surcharges of $35 for each gold coin, $10 per silver dollar and $5 for each clad half-dollar is included in the prices. These surcharges will be forwarded to Boys Town as long as the coin sales cover all associated costs for the U.S. Mint.