The United States Mint and Lions Clubs International will draw attention to one of next year’s commemorative coins by ceremoniously striking one at the Philadelphia Mint on Nov. 9.
Public Law 112-181, the Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act, authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce and sell up to 400,000 silver dollars with designs emblematic of the centennial of Lions Clubs International.
Participants at the private striking ceremony will include:
- Rhett Jeppson, U.S. Mint Principal Deputy Director;
- Marc Landry, Philadelphia Mint plant superintendent; and
- J. Frank Moore III, chairman of the Lions Clubs International Centennial Committee.
Designs for the commemorative coin were unveiled in June at the Lions Clubs International’s 99th annual convention in Fukuoka, Japan. Coin obverses (heads side) feature a portrait of founder Melvin Jones paired with the Lions Clubs International logo. Joel Iskowitz created the artwork and Joseph Menna sculpted it.
Designed by Patricia Lucas-Morris and sculpted by Don Everhart, the silver dollar’s reverse (tails side) depicts a male and female lion with a lion cub superimposed over a globe.
Collector proof and uncirculated editions will be produced at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia. They will be available to the public beginning in January 2017.
Their pricing will include a $10 surcharge, mandated by Public Law 112-181, to be paid to the Lions Clubs International Foundation to further its programs for the blind and visually impaired in the United States and abroad; invest in adaptive technologies for the disabled; and invest in youth and those affected by a major disaster.
Zzzzzz…Lion’s Club…..the Lions on reverse look nice for animal coin collectors. Great charity but really a stretch….see no chance of this ever having any legs beyond the lions depicted…….heck the Hall of Fame coins were real nice & have no viable aftermarket……sales maybe 35k proof, 5k BU (might be good to pick up…. IF poor BU sales…)
The surcharge of $10 per coin will only be paid to the Lions Clubs non-profit charity if the sales amount covers all costs of the commemorative coin program. Some charities in the past have received nothing from the Mint due to low sales (the Girl Scouts program for one example). The Mint is supposed to put this in writing on its website & all advertising but rarely does.
A beautiful reverse design, when I first saw it in June, but the obverse is just average.
Cat lovers will have to have it for sure.
-NumisDudeTX
Whistler –
A free bag of Meow Mix with every order! Remember that tv ad with that darn Meow Mix cat dancing a jigg!? Or the movie “That Darn Cat” lol
-NumisDudeTX
Hi Seth,
Thanks for the heads up and clarity. Great charity, but I will not support opportunistic marketing strategies by the US mint. I would rather donate 10 dollars to the charity myself.
Mouse
They really are spreading the money thin with all the programs the Lions want to help. And that is if the mint sells enough.
Mouse –
Remember, it’s Congress that mandated the coin be minted, not the mint – so blame your congressman/senator for voting this coin through.
As a long time member of the Lions Club I am very pleased to see the u.s.mint produce this coin. I will purchase a couple for myself for two reasons; first and foremost the Lions International will receive $10.00/coin, and the second reason is personal, the coins will make nice memorabilia as a reminder of the organization for which I volunteer my time and efforts, and has given me many good memories. There are many thousands of fellow lions, whom I am certain will jump at the opportunity to own one of these coins; moreover I think many local Lions… Read more »
Paul –
As I mentioned to Mouse, the credit doesn’t belong to the mint – they’re just obeying the law. Thank your Congress people and Senators for voting this coin into law.
Paul –
It would be nice to see the Lions Clubs members buy a lot the coins. They are very good progarms. Thanks, Joe