Library of Congress Commemorative Silver Dollar Coin

Commemorative Coins

Background

Authorization Date

The coins were authorized on October 19, 1998.

Authorized Mintage Limits

500,000

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Recipient Organization: Library of Congress Trust Fund Board

A portion of the proceeds from each coin's sale benefited the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board to help support outreach programs to make the Library's collection available to all Americans.

Commemorative Coin Surcharges

Commemorative coin programs are created by acts of Congress to honor a person, place, or event. Surcharges from the sales of these coins help fund a variety of organizations and projects that benefit the public. Commemorative coins are only available from the United States Mint for a limited time, as specified by public law.

Characteristics

Story of the Design

These commemorative coins are called the coins of many firsts. The first commemorative coins of the new Century, they are also the first-ever gold and platinum bimetallic coins in the nation's history. For the bimetallic version, the outer ring is stamped from a sheet of gold, then a solid core of platinum is placed within the ring. The coins contain about one-half an ounce of precious metal.

The Silver Dollar shows the Torch of Learning and an open book on the obverse and the Thomas Jefferson Building dome on the reverse.

Design Theme on Obverse

The coin features an open book superimposed over the torch of learning.

Design Theme on Reverse

The coin features an architectural rendering of the dome on the Library of Congress' Jefferson building.

Obverse Inscriptions

• LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
• 1800
• 2000
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• LIBERTY

Reverse Inscriptions

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ONE DOLLAR
• E PLURIBUS UNUM

Mint and Mint Mark

Artist Information

Obverse
  • Designer: Thomas D. Rogers, Sr.
Reverse
  • Designer: John Mercanti

Related Information

Content last reviewed June 1, 2016

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