End of World War II 75th Anniversary

2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the involvement of the United States in World War II. The United States Mint saluted the millions of American citizens who bravely served in uniform during the course of the struggle with a 24-karat gold coin and a corresponding silver medal.

A new design appears on the End of World War II 75th Anniversary 24-Karat Gold Coin and Silver Medal. The obverse depicts an eagle in flight, facing the olive branch it grasps in its right talon. The olive branch symbolizes peace. The eagle design is inspired by the 1945 version of the Great Seal of the United States. In 1945, the eagle on the Great Seal switched from looking toward the arrows of war to looking toward the olive branch of peace.

The reverse features a sun shining on olive branches. The sun resembles the sun rising behind Liberty on the obverse of the 1945 World War II Victory Medal. The medal was issued to those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946.

World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945, pitting the Allies, including the United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and United States, against the nationalistic ambitions of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. The U.S. entered the war in December 1941 after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Fighting occurred across Europe, Africa, and Asia, and throughout the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Millions of service members lost their lives, more than 400,000 of which were Americans. But the war also cost the lives of tens of millions more civilians, including six million Jews in the Holocaust.

Nazi Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, marking victory in Europe. Japan announced its surrender on August 14, 1945 and formally signed on September 2, bringing a complete end to the war.