Owner Comments:
A Four-Coin Tribute to our Veterans
For Novembers Coin of the Month column, I am using four coins to illustrate my heartfelt thanks to all the veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Those coins, all certified by NGC, are a 2005-P MS-70 United States Marine Corps silver dollar, a 2010-W PFUC-69 Disabled Veterans silver dollar, a 2011-P PFUC-69 Medal of Honor silver dollar, and a 2011-W PFUC-69 Medal of Honor five-dollar gold piece. Each of the dollar coins conforms to the dimensions, weight, and composition of a standard US silver dollar, and likewise, the five-dollar coin matches that of a standard US half-eagle.
Initially called Armistice Day, Veterans Day coincides with the end of hostilities in World War I on November 11, 1918. By Presidential Proclamation, the first observance of Armistice Day occurred on November 11, 1919. Subsequently, in 1938 by an act of Congress, Armistice Day became an annual observance celebrated on November 11. Later through the efforts of World War II veteran Raymond Weeks, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954. Henceforth, since Armistice Day was originally intended to honor those who died on the battlefield in World War I, Veterans Day today celebrates the service of all veterans.
The final coin of my tribute is the 2011-W Medal of Honor five-dollar gold piece. The obverse of this coin features an image of the original Medal of Honor established in 1861. On the coins reverse is a likeness of the goddess Minerva carrying a Union shield in her right hand and the flag of the United States in the other, behind her are Civil War era munitions and a cannon. In Roman mythology, Minerva is the goddess of war, wise counsel, defense of towns, and heroic endeavor. The shield is representative of the Armed Forces of the United States; the flag is the banner under which they fight. As a defensive shield, is our military then defending a piece of cloth, or a plot of land? Rather they are defending the people represented by the flag and the freedom and liberty of that people. The men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States then deserve our heartfelt thanks and gratitude. Freedom comes at a high price and is not free, but for the men and women of our nations military, it is a price worth paying.
As a veteran of the United States Navy during the cold war, I had often thought about how I would react if the call came to go to war. On my ship we spent countless hours training and preparing for such an event. Thankfully, for me, that call never came. However, today, scores of men and women are answering the call to arms, and many will pay the ultimate price on our behalf. Our veterans have given so much; let us not fail to show them the proper gratitude they deserve.
Happy Veterans Day, November 11, 2012.
Gary