Today, May 11, the United States Mint has started selling the U.S. Coast Guard Bronze Medal for $20. This medal is the bronze version of the U.S. Coast Guard Silver Medal, which is part of an Armed Forces series that honors all six branches of the U.S. military, namely the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force.
The Mint’s silver medal program comprises a 2.5-ounce and a 1-ounce silver medal for each branch. These are followed by companion bronze medals. All three types of military medals share the same designs.
The Coast Guard 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal was launched on August 17, 2021, while the 1-ounce silver version was issued on September 26, 2022. The table below shows the sales of these two medals as well as the other strikes from the program.
Armed Forces Medals
| Latest Sales | Release Dates | |
| U.S. Air Force 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal | 9,953 | Jul 13, 2021 |
| U.S. Air Force 1 Ounce Silver Medal | 16,613 | Aug 16, 2022 |
| U.S. Air Force Bronze Medal | N/A* | Nov 19, 2022 |
| U.S. Army 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal | 10,004 | Mar 6, 2023 |
| U.S. Coast Guard 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal | 9,955 | Aug 17, 2021 |
| U.S. Coast Guard 1 Ounce Silver Medal | 15,499 | Sep 26, 2022 |
| U.S. Marine Corps 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal | 9,576 | Jul 15, 2022 |
| U.S. Navy 2.5 Ounce Silver Medal | 9,985 | Mar 11, 2022 |
*The U.S. Mint does not release sales figures for bronze medals.
As shown above, the release of this Coast Guard Bronze Medal marks the product completion of two services honored: the Air Force and the Coast Guard. In addition, we have yet to see the release of any of the Space Force medals.
Mintages
It is worth noting that all issued 2.5-ounce silver medals are no longer available, with mintage caps of 10,000 apiece, while the 1-ounce silver medals and bronze medals have no mintage or sales limits.
Coast Guard Force Medal Designs
The obverse (heads side) of the new bronze medal, which was designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, depicts a Coast Guard national security cutter at full throttle, speeding head-on towards the viewer. The hull number on the cutter indicates that it is the Hamilton, named after Alexander Hamilton, who was instrumental in the creation of the service. Inscriptions atop the design read "U.S. COAST GUARD" along with the Coast Guard motto "SEMPER PARATUS" (Always Ready).
The reverse (tails side) of the medal was created by Thomas Hipschen with sculpting done by Renata Gordon. It depicts two iconic symbols of the Coast Guard, namely a life preserver ring and the racing stripe mark, which is found on almost all Coast Guard craft. In addition, the Coast Guard emblem is shown along with inscriptions of the Coast Guard’s core values, namely "HONOR," "RESPECT," and "DEVOTION TO DUTY."
These bronze medals have a composition of 95% copper and 5% zinc, with a diameter of 1.5 inches.
Ordering
The Coast Guard Bronze Medal is available directly from the U.S. Mint via their online store for military medals. Other Armed Forces Medals may also be found by following the same link.
The U.S. Mint’s waiting room was full for this $20 small bronze medal…Lol.
NumisdudeTX
Today, one can pick up a bronze 1.5” US Coast Guard medal from the US Mint, for just $20.00. Free “Finning” included which may affect how your Coast Guard cutter, tracks within the capsule! Additionally I understand, that is also true of the stir crazy, off kilter “Finned” AL Bronco as well. Not to mention affecting how the Ag/Bz “Presidents” rest or don’t rest in place within their capsules/tombs? Perhaps this is acceptable to medal collectors, however IMO, the edges should be clean and free from razors edge, upward finning along the edge, that’s all too common to medals? Seems… Read more »
More US Mint Shenanigans! When will they “ever” get things correct? So we already know they are loose with numbers? We know they are overpriced, with QC seemingly know where to be found? How expensive are those “Bronze” medals they put out? Weren’t the prices for these, absolutely sent into orbit a few years back? So not only does the US Mint have numbers and pricing issues, they apparently have been mislabeling, misrepresenting these supposed “Bronze Medals” “Bronze” is not a color, it is a metal alloy, consisting of specific blends or types of metals, giving it structural, environmental qualities… Read more »
I have no freaking idea why anyone would be an obsessive ‘Bronze’ medal collector regardless if it’s actually bronze or a brass composition. It has no monetary value, to me at least, and it isn’t a fungible asset so why buy it at an obscene price. Some people would say I’m a nut for paying what I do for precious metal coinage from the mint, especially recently with the premiums being charged over spot pricing. If times get really hard, I can at least get the spot price of the metal, assuming they are using what they claim! What can… Read more »
Hi Craig,
I do not believe any medal should ever be purchased, only awarded. Just my opinion. I know that medals have been sold forever, but I have never been interested in purchasing one, no matter the subject or what material it is made of.
Jeff, You are spot on with that statement. Those metals that are earned, or awarded. are priceless to those receiving them. It matters not what they are made of.
Ikr. These cats are nuts. Orange isn’t a color, it’s a fruit
The U.S. Mint does not release its bronze medals sales figures…ever wondered why?? The last Mint Director raised the price from $6.95 to $20 on the small ones & from $39.95 to $49.95 & now to $160 for the larger ones. The Mint is embarrassed at the horribly low sales numbers of these vastly overpriced medals. They don’t have a Mint mark, they don’t have a COA, they don’t have a description card, & they are not in presentation boxes. Most coin & medal dealers offer Unc. & even cameo Proof bronze medals in the small size for about $3… Read more »
Major D ,
You sure are spot on. The large ones do have a nice satin-like, rich buttery gold look to them & I used to buy some of them, small & large when they were $6.95 & $39.95 respectively. I even bought some of the small ones from the Mint in the late 1970s when they were $2.95 & then years later $3.95. But, I’m done with them now.
NumisdudeTX
I used to purchase the medals when they were $6.95 & $39.95 and give as second birthday gift in a birthday card or stocking stuffers. Since the price increases I have refrained from purchasing them. The $6.95 ones for gifts and every so often the $39.95 ones to add to my Mint collection.
Yes Kaiser, I too picked up the space medals, some of the military ones and presidential ones for personal collection and gifts.
The made in China ones are like $3
The Wuhan All-You-Can-Eat fried bat buffet!
And pick up a Wuhan Bat Happy Meal with rubber toy bat for the kids at the drive through window…just 10 yuan (or a silver China or panda coin)…
NumisdudeTX