US Infantry Silver Dollar – National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center

National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center Silver Dollar
http://www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/The old saying that “it’ll take an act of congress to get this done” sometimes actually works out. The 2008 110th US Congress approved a special silver dollar to be minted commemorating the US Infantry, and this weekend it finally came out. Now through March 19 they are $5 off the list price of $54.95 for proof coins, and $49.95 for uncirculated coins. They will only be minted in 2012, and the US Mint is authorized to make up to 350,000 of them, at the mint in West Point, NY. According to the downloadable PUBLIC LAW 110–357—OCT. 8, 2008, they are 90% silver and 10% copper.

The nice thing about the coin is that $10 of the “numismatic surcharge” (this is a $1 legal tender coin for fifty bucks) goes to the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, located in Columbus, Georgia, right next to Fort Benning. They are carrying a $10,000,000 debt service on the $100,000,000 museum, and this will help them set up a long term plan to finance the operation of the project that has no admission fee and is open year round. It is quite a place. We were there for an event with the United States Army Marksmanship Unit a couple years ago, and it is a massive and impressive place, dedicated to maintaining the history of the legacy of the US Infantry. They also run programs year round for soldiers, and it even has an IMAX theater. If you can get over there, the National Infantry Museum is well worth the trip.

The design of the coin itself was a fantastic choice I think. It shows an infantry soldier with a modern style helmet carrying a full sized M16 with a carry handle calling backwards for others to follow. For one picture meant to memorialize generations of US Infantry, I think they did a pretty good job. The museum itself has a huge 3D exhibit to all of the major conflicts, up through the desert wars, and that they put a modern soldier on this coin is a testament to our current warriors out there. To me it says that no generation of US Infantry Soldier stands for the Infantry legacy more than our guys out there today. The back has crossed percussion muskets, or possibly rifles (they aren’t so detailed that you can tell), which is the insignia for the US Infantry. It seems like a nice coin to have on the mantel and considering what you get for fifty bucks these days, not so expensive. Gift boxes are $5.95 per coin, and there is a flat $4.95 shipping per order.

Note that as you see here in the picture with the red letters and arrow, it is a little confusing how to order these things on the museum website. It appears almost like you have to email them to find out how to order. You don’t fortunately. If you scroll to the bottom, the middle image of the coin jumps you out to the US Mint website where you can order the coins directly from them. The delivery time is 1-2 weeks but there is an expedited option if you need them sooner.

On GunsAmerica we don’t cover this kind of thing much, but how often does something like this come along? We figured that most of our people would want to know, and considering that our active mailing list is currently over 600,000, these could sell these out in a week. You just never know what the response is going to be to anything until you try. We went in and bought some to give as gifts before this email goes out just in case. 350,000 may sound like a lot, but the coin collectors will be buying as many as they can get their hands on. Better to be safe than sorry if you want one, so don’t procrastinate. Once they are gone they are gone.