Modern Commemorative US Coins

Subsequent Olympic coins were struck prior to games in Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), and Salt Lake City (2002). In fact, sports themes have been popular on commemorative coins, as seen in coins minted for the 1994 World Cup, which took place in the United States, and two coins (a silver dollar and a gold half eagle) honoring Brooklyn Dodgers star Jackie Robinson in 1997.

Other landmarks and leading lights of American history to be honored include the Statue of Liberty (1986), the 50th anniversary of the start of World War II (1991-1995), and Benjamin Franklin, who got two silver dollars (one showing him flying a kite on the obverse) in 2006.

While most commemorative coins are not intended for circulation—indeed, their face value is typically less than their retail price—some coins blur this line. For example, bicentennial quarters and half dollars issued from 1976 to 1977 were put into circulation, but many people have collected them in the same way as they would commemoratives. An even better example of circulating modern commemorative coins are the U.S. state quarters issued since 1999.

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