Owner Comments:
American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act
Public Law 110–277 110th Congress - To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of veterans who became disabled for life while serving in the Armed Forces of the United States. The design of the coins minted under this Act shall be emblematic of the service of our disabled veterans who, having survived the ordeal of war, made enormous personal sacrifices defending the principles of our democracy.
• The Congress finds as follows:
The Armed Forces of the United States have answered the call and served with distinction around the world—
from hitting the beaches in World War II in the Pacific and Europe, to the cold and difficult terrain in Korea, the
steamy jungles of Vietnam, and the desert sands of the Middle East.
All Americans should commemorate those who come home having survived the ordeal of war, and solemnly
honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in giving their lives for their country.
All Americans should honor the millions of living disabled veterans who carry the scars of war every day, and
who have made enormous personal sacrifices defending the principles of our democracy.
In 2000, Congress authorized the construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
The United States should pay tribute to the Nation’s living disabled veterans by minting and issuing a
commemorative silver dollar coin.
The surcharge proceeds from the sale of a commemorative coin would raise valuable funding for the
construction of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
• Coin Specifications. $1 Silver Coins. The Secretary of the Treasury shall mint and issue not more than 350,000 $1
coins in commemoration of disabled American veterans, each of which shall be 90 percent silver and 10 percent
copper.
• The coins authorized under this title may be issued in uncirculated and proof qualities and only 1 facility of the
United States Mint may be used to strike any particular combination of denomination and quality for the coins
minted under this Act.
• It is the sense of the Congress that the coins minted under this Act should be struck at the United States Mint at
West Point, New York, to the greatest extent possible.
Approved July 17, 2008. The Secretary may issue coins under this Act only during the calendar year beginning on January 1, 2010.
Americans owe a tremendous debt to those who gave so much of themselves for our country. These include the millions of disabled veterans who continue to live with the wounds and scars of military service; those who have died after living with those wounds and scars; and those who gave their lives while defending our principles of democracy.
The images on the 2010 American Veterans Disabled for Life Silver Dollar capture the service of the brave men and women who have honored us with their selfless duty to defend our country. These veterans often carry permanent life-altering disabilities that serve as strong reminders of the price of freedom.
The coin designs are emblematic of the many stories of our disabled veterans' courage, loyalty and sacrifice. The obverse features an image of the legs and boots of three veterans. The inscription in the banner along the upper rim, THEY STOOD UP FOR US, pays tribute to our courageous disabled veterans who have survived military service injuries for our freedom. Additional inscriptions are IN GOD WE TRUST, 2010 and LIBERTY.
The reverse design depicts a forget-me-not flower at the base of a wreath wrapped in a ribbon that cradles and supports clusters of oak branches. The oak branches represent strength, while the forget-me-not is a widely recognized icon that first served as a reminder of those who fought and became disabled in World War I. The significance of the small blue flowers is attributable to an image conveyed by World War I soldiers who had seen them growing on the graves of comrades and allies who had been killed. After the war, the flower became the accepted symbol for commemorating those who had fallen. The inscriptions are Take This Moment to Honor Our Disabled Defenders of Freedom, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and ONE DOLLAR.