The United States Mint announced designs Tuesday, Oct. 10, for the five silver medals that will be issued in conjunction with the commemorative 2018 World War I Centennial Silver Dollar.
Designs for the silver dollar were unveiled one day earlier, on Monday, Oct. 9. It honors the 100th anniversary of America’s involvement in the First World War. The companion silver medals pay homage to branches of the U.S. Armed Forces that were active in World War I — the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Service, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard.
These medals will not be available individually, the U.S. Mint said. Instead, each will be paired with a World War I Centennial Silver Dollar and offered as a special set.
The five medals and dollar will share major specifications, including a mint mark denoting where they are produced, a composition of 90% silver and 10% copper, a diameter of 1.500 inches and a weight of 26.730 grams. In one difference, the dollar will have a reeded edge while the medal edges will be smooth. Also, the silver medals will be issued in collector proof quality only while the silver dollar will be available in qualities of proof and uncirculated.
Below are U.S. Mint images, design descriptions, and the striking minting facility for each medal.
World War I Centennial Army Silver Medal – West Point Mint
The Army medal design depicts a soldier cutting through German barbed wire, while a second soldier aims a rifle amid a shattered landscape of broken trees and cratered earth. A shell explodes in the distance.
The medal’s reverse design features the United States Army emblem, which was also in use during World War I, with the inscriptions "OVER THERE!," "CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I," "2018," and "UNITED STATES ARMY."
The obverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Emily Damstra and sculpted by now retired United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart, who also designed and sculpted the reverse.
See the original Army medal design candidates.
World War I Centennial Marine Corps Silver Medal – San Francisco Mint
The Marine Corps medal’s obverse design depicts the aftermath of the Battle of Belleau Wood. One Marine stands guard as the other kneels to pay respect to the fallen. The inscription quotes a report to the American Expeditionary Forces: "WOODS NOW U.S. MARINE CORPS ENTIRELY."
The medal’s reverse design features the World War I-era version of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem with the inscriptions "CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I," "2018," "OVER THERE!," and "BATTLE OF BELLEAU WOOD."
The obverse was designed by AIP Designer Chris Costello and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso. The reverse was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.
See the original Marines medal design candidates.
World War I Centennial Navy Silver Medal – Philadelphia Mint
The obverse design of the Navy medal depicts a U.S. Navy destroyer on escort duty after deploying a depth charge in defense of a convoy. Above the destroyer, kite balloons provide Navy personnel a platform to spot submarines and other dangers. The inscription "OVER THERE!" appears at the bottom of the design.
The medal’s reverse design features an Officer’s Cap Device* used in World War I. Inscriptions are "UNITED STATES NAVY," "2018," and "CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I." (*Note: An official, uniform seal of the United States Navy had not been adopted at the time of World War I.)
The obverse was designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, while the reverse was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon.
See the original Navy medal design candidates.
World War I Centennial Air Service Silver Medal – Denver Mint
The obverse of the Air Service medal design depicts the iconic SPAD XIII, a World War I fighter flown by many Americans and valued for its speed, strength, and firepower, viewed from the top and side. The inscription "SPAD XIII" identifies the aircraft.
The medal’s reverse design features the Military Aviator Insignia with the inscriptions "CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I," "2018," "OVER THERE!," "AIR SERVICE," and "AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES."
This obverse was designed by AIP Designer Ronald D. Sanders and sculpted by Joseph Menna, who also designed and sculpted the reverse.
See the original Air Service medal design candidates.
World War I Centennial Coast Guard Silver Medal – Philadelphia Mint
The obverse of the Coast Guard medal depicts a lifeboat from the Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Seneca heading out in heavy seas toward the torpedoed steamship Wellington.
The reverse design features the World War I-era Coast Guard emblem, with the inscriptions "CENTENNIAL OF WORLD WAR I," "2018," and "OVER THERE!"
Both the obverse and reverse of the Coast Guard medal were designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Nice looking coins. I approve.
So to get all five from the mint I will need to buy five sets including five dollar coins. That will blow up in their face if that is the case.
i would love to get my hands on one of those Spad X111 and give it spin, i like the feathers speed, strenght, firepower, in the day, can,t fly tho. i deafinitlly getting that medal with the BU silver $. if funds are around at that time. i buy them in honer of my dad WW2 Navy combat vet, uncle Bob Korean war Army combat vet, Big brother Dan Vietnam 69, 71 first air cav., Chu Lai & my uncle Joe WW2 lost at sea* by German u boat, RIP*+* to all who served.
Having to buy each one with a silver dollar coin is a terrible mistake. I would only want to do that if there was something different on each dollar. I bet the Mint charges $100 per set which would be $500 for all of them!! The US Mint is going to drive away a lot of collectors if they keep doing this!!
Mint sez you must buy awful looking $1 coin with each medal … monopoly power at work
The WWI coin design the US Mint picked for the ($1.00) silver dollar commemorative coin is just awful. The obverse is just so incorrect it is another major embarrassment for the US Mint. Who is running the mint? Are they even educated? What is going on over there? The design is terrible a complete failure from every aspect. It MUST be replaced by another design. Please don’t embarrass the country with this awful design.