The 1996 Smithsonian $5 Gold Coin was issued for the 150th anniversary of the Smithsonian Institution. It had been established by Congress on August 10, 1846, funded by the will of scientist James Smithson. At one time, the Smithsonian held the National Numismatic Collection.
The obverse of the coin features a bust of James Smithson designed by Alfred Maletsky. The inscriptions include “For the Increase and Diffusion of Knowledge”, “In God We Trust”, the dual date “1846-1996″, “James Smithson”, and “Liberty”.
The reverse of the coin features the Smithsonian’s sunburst logo with the “Smithsonian” beneath. The design elements of the coin are raised and frosted with the sunburst recessed and mirrored for an interesting effect. Additional inscriptions around the outer portion of the coin include “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, and the denomination “Five Dollars”. The reverse was designed by James T. Ferrell.
The 1996 Smithsonian 150th Anniversary $5 Gold Coin was offered in proof and uncirculated versions, both produced at the West Point Mint. The maximum authorized mintage for the coin was 100,000, but combined sales reached approximately 30% of this amount. Because of the resulting low mintages, the coins now sell at a significant premium. The coins were sold individually, or within two-coin and four-coin sets. Initially coins were available at pre-issue discount prices, after which regular prices went into effect. Surcharges from the sale of coins were paid to the Smithsonian Board of Regents.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Alfred Maletsky (obverse) James T. Ferrell (reverse)
Weight: 8.3590 g
Composition: 90% gold (0.242 ounces of gold)
Diameter: 21.6 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 100,000
1996-W Uncirculated Smithsonian 150th Anniversary $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $180.00
Regular Price: $205.00
Final Mintage: 9,068
1996-W Proof Smithsonian 150th Anniversary $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $195.00
Regular Price: $225.00
Final Mintage: 21,772
The 1996 Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Silver Dollar was issued to commemorate the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution by Congress on August 10, 1846. As a point of interest to collectors, at the time of issue the Smithsonian held the National Numismatic Collection, which contains over one million items.
The obverse of the Smithsonian Silver Dollar depicts the “Castle” building located on the Mall in Washington, D.C. with laurel leaves to each side. This was the first Smithsonian Institution building. The inscriptions read “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “Smithsonian”, and the dates “1846-1996″. The obverse was designed by Thomas D. Rogers, Sr.
The reverse of the coin depicts an allegorical goddess sitting on top of a globe. She carries the torch of knowledge and holds a scroll with the words “art, history and science”. Additional inscriptions read “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, “One Dollar”, and “For the increase and diffusion of knowledge”. The reverse was designed by John Mercanti.
The 1996 Smithsonian Silver Dollar was offered in proof and uncirculated versions. The proof coins were minted in Philadelphia and the uncirculated coins were minted in Denver. Despite a high level of appreciation for the coin by collectors, sales were lack luster after recent years of commemorative coin over saturation. The US Mint offered the coins individually, within two-coin or four-coin sets, and as a Young Collectors Set containing the proof silver dollar. Initially coins were priced at a pre-issue discount, after which regular pricing went into effect. The extremely low mintage of the uncirculated version of the coin resulted in higher prices on the secondary market.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Thomas D. Rogers, Sr. (obverse), John Mercanti (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 650,000
1996-D Uncirculated Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.00
Regular Price: $32.00
Final Mintage: 31,320
1996-P Proof Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price:$33.00
Regular Price: $37.00
Final Mintage: 129,152
The 1996 National Community Service Silver Dollar was issued to honor the spirit of volunteerism in the United States. The coins were released at a time when the number of commemorative coin issues had dramatically increased, creating a backlash from collectors. This same year, Congress passed a new law stipulating that after the previously approved programs had run their course, no more than two commemorative coin programs could be approved per year.
The obverse of the Community Service Silver Dollar was based on a medal designed by Augustus Saint Gaudens for the Women’s Auxiliary of the Massachusetts Civil Service Reform Association. It was adapted by Thomas D. Rogers. The inscriptions include “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “National Community Service”, and the date “1996″.
The reverse design features the words “Service For America” surrounded by a wreath. Below the words is the motto “E Pluribus Unum”. Surrounding the wreath are the additional inscriptions “United States of America” and the denomination “One Dollar”. The reverse was designed by William C. Cousins.
The 1996 Community Service Dollar was issued in proof and uncirculated versions, both produced at the San Francisco Mint. The coins had a maximum authorized mintage of 500,000 coins, but sold very few, particularly for the uncirculated version. The proof and uncirculated coins were offered for sale individually. A special proof coin and stamp set was also offered, which included an original 1940 USPS stamp featuring Augustus Saint Gaudens and a booklet describing his achievements.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Thomas D. Rogers after Augustus Saint Gaudens (obverse), William C. Cousins (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 500,000
1996-S Uncirculated National Community Service Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.00
Regular Price: $32.00
Final Mintage: 23,500
1996-S Proof National Community Service Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price:$33.00
Regular Price: $37.00
Final Mintage: 101,543
The 1996 Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold Coin was issued as one of the coins of the expansive commemorative coin program for the Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. The program included a total of sixteen different coin designs issued in compositions of gold, silver, and copper nickel clad. The overwhelming scope of the program and the tepid collector reaction caused the modern commemorative coin process to be reviewed and eventually altered.
The Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold Coin features an athlete lighting the Olympic flame. The obverse was designed by Frank Gasparro, who had also designed the Olympic Torch Runner Gold Coin issued in the prior year. The inscriptions on the coin include “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, the date “1996″ and the USA Olympic logo.
The reverse of the coin features the design used in common by both of the 1996 $5 Gold Olympic coins. It displays the logo of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games, bordered by laurel leaves. The laurel leaves hearken back to the laurel wreaths given to the athletes of the ancient Olympic Games. The inscriptions read “United States of America”, “Five Dollars”, “Atlanta”, and “E Pluribus Unum”.
The 1996 Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold Coin was limited to an authorized mintage of 300,000 coins across proof and uncirculated versions. All coins were produced at the West Point Mint. The coins were offered for sale by the US Mint individually or as part of four coin sets containing proof or uncirculated coins. When sales ended, the uncirculated versions of both of the Olympic $5 Gold Commemoratives had mintage below 10,000. This was the first time mintages had fallen below this level since the revival of the commemorative coin program in 1982.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Frank Gasparro (obverse) William Krawczewicz (reverse)
Weight: 8.3590 g
Composition: 90% gold (0.242 ounces of gold)
Diameter: 21.6 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 300,000
1996-W Uncirculated Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $229.00
Regular Price: $249.00
Final Mintage: 9,210
1996-W Proof Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $239.00
Regular Price: $259.00
Final Mintage: 38,555
The 1996 Olympic Flag Bearer $5 Gold Coin was issued as one of sixteen different coins which comprised the XXVI Olympiad Commemorative Coin Program. The Centennial Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia in 1996. Coins were issued in gold, silver, and copper nickel clad compositions.
The Olympic Flag Bearer $5 Gold Coin features athletes from America bearing their country’s flag as they enter the Olympic Stadium. The obverse inscriptions include “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, and the date “1996″. The USA Olympic logo also appears in the right field of the coin. The obverse was designed by Patricia L. Verani.
The reverse design of the coin features the mark of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. It is surrounded by laurel leaves to represent the laurel wreath that was awarded to Greek athletes during the original Olympic Games. The inscriptions read “United States of America”, “Five Dollars”, “Atlanta”, and “E Pluribus Unum”. The reverse was designed by William Krawczewicz and used for both of the $5 gold Olympic commemorative coins.
The 1996 Olympic Flag Bearer Gold Coin was produced at the West Point Mint in both proof and uncirculated versions. Despite the tepid sales of the prior year’s Olympic $5 gold coins, the maximum authorized mintage was raised to 300,000 coins. The sales figures experienced a decline from the prior year despite the higher authorization. Together with the 1996 Olympic Cauldron $5 Gold, uncirculated version of Flag Bearer coin was the first modern commemorative coin to have a mintage of less than 10,000.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Patricia L. Verani (obverse) William Krawczewicz (reverse)
Weight: 8.3590 g
Composition: 90% gold (0.242 ounces of gold)
Diameter: 21.6 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 300,000
1996-W Uncirculated Flag Bearer $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $229.00
Regular Price: $249.00
Final Mintage: 9,174
1996-W Proof Flag Bearer $5 Gold Coin
Pre-Issue Price: $239.00
Regular Price: $259.00
Final Mintage: 32,886
The 1996 Paralympics Silver Dollar was issued was part of an extensive program of commemorative coins for the XXVI Olympiad held in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a total of sixteen different coins issued for the program over the course of two years.
The obverse of the 1996 Paralympics Silver Dollar features an athlete in a wheelchair competing in a track and field event. The word “spirit” appears in Braille and the Paralympics logo is included. Additional inscriptions read “Triumph of the Human Spirit”, “In God We Trust”, “Paralympics”, “Liberty”, and “1996″. The obverse of the coin was designed by James C. Sharpe.
The reverse of the coin features the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games logo with numerous inscriptions. The inscriptions read “United States of America”, “One Dollar”, “E Pluribus Unum”, “Atlanta 1996″, and “Centennial Olympic Games”. Thomas D. Rogers designed the reverse, which was used in common for all four 1996 Olympic silver Dollars.
The 1995 Paralympics Silver Dollar had an authorized mintage of 1,000,000 to cover the uncirculated coins produced at the Denver Mint and proof coins produced at the Philadelphia Mint. Despite the high expectations, less than 100,000 coins were sold in total. This eventually worked in the favor of collectors who purchased the coins since the low mintages drove high premiums on the secondary market, particularly for the uncirculated version of the coin which had a scant mintage of only 14,497 coins.
Coin Specifications
Designer: James C. Sharpe (obverse), Thomas D. Rogers (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 1,000,000
1996-D Uncirculated Paralympics Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $27.95
Regular Price: $31.95
Final Mintage: 14,497
1996-P Proof Paralympics Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.95
Regular Price: $34.95
Final Mintage: 84,280
The 1996 Olympic High Jump Silver Dollar was as a slate of sixteen different coins to commemorate the Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. The program included coins minted in copper nickel clad, silver, and gold, released from 1995 to 1996.
Th obverse of the High Jump Silver Dollar features an athlete executing a high jump with the Fosbury Flop technique. The inscriptions include “Liberty”, “In God we Trust”, and “1996″ with the US Olympic logo between the last two elements. The obverse was designed by Calvin Massey.
The reverse of the coin was the same one used for all of the 1996 Olympic Silver Dollars issued. It features the logo from the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games with numerous inscriptions. The inscriptions include “E Pluribus Unum”, “Atlanta 1996″, “Centennial Olympic Games”, “United States of America”, and “One Dollar”.
The 1996 High Jump Silver Dollar was released in both proof and uncirculated versions. These were sold individually or as part of multi-coin sets created by the United States Mint. The maximum authorized mintage across all product options was a lofty 1,000,000 coins, which was not attained. The lower mintage of several of the 1995-1996 Olympic Commemorative Coin programs now drive significant premiums on the secondary market.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Calvin Massey (obverse), Thomas D. Rogers (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 1,000,000
1996-D Uncirculated High Jump Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $27.95
Regular Price: $31.95
Final Mintage: 15,697
1996-P Proof High Jump Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.95
Regular Price: $34.95
Final Mintage: 124,502
The 1996 Olympic Rowing Silver Dollar was issued as part of an extensive program of commemorative coins for the Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. The program included sixteen coins minted in clad, silver, and gold, released over the course of two years.
The obverse of the Rowing Silver Dollar features four men rowing as designed by Bart Forbes. The inscriptions read “XXVI Olympiad”, “In God We Trust”, “Liberty”, the date “1996″, and the Olympic logo.
The reverse of the coin features the mark of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games with numerous inscriptions. This designed from Thomas D. Rogers was used for all of the 1996 Olympic Silver Dollars issued. The inscriptions include “E Pluribus Unum”, “Atlanta 1996″, “Centennial Olympic Games”, “United States of America”, and “One Dollar”.
The 1996 Rowing Silver Dollar was produced in uncirculated version at the Denver Mint and proof version at the Philadelphia Mint. Across both versions, the mintage was limited to 1,000,000 coins. Similar to other coins of the program, the Rowing Silver Dollar achieved only a fraction of this amount. The coins were offered individually, or as part of several different multi-coin sets produced by the United States Mint.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Bart Forbes (obverse), Thomas D. Rogers (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 1,000,000
1996-D Uncirculated Rowing Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $27.95
Regular Price: $31.95
Final Mintage: 16,258
1996-P Proof Rowing Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.95
Regular Price: $34.95
Final Mintage: 151,890
The 1996 Olympic Tennis Silver Dollar was issued in commemoration of the XXVI Olympiad in Atlanta, Georgia. It was part of an extensive program, which included a total of sixteen different coins struck in clad, silver, and gold, and released over the course of two years.
The obverse of the Tennis Silver Dollar features a woman playing tennis about to hit the ball. The inscriptions read “Liberty”, “1996″, “Atlanta”, and “In God We Trust” with the USA Olympic logo. This was designed by James C. Sharpe and modeled by Thomas D. Rogers.
The reverse of the coin features a modernistic Olympic torch. The base of the torch is created with the number “100″ representing the centennial and the Olympic logo. The inscriptions read “United States of America”, “One Dollar”, “E Pluribus Unum”, “Atlanta 1996″, and “Centennial Olympic Games”. This was designed by Thomas D. Rogers.
The 1996 Tennis Silver Dollar was produced in uncirculated version at the Denver Mint and proof version at the Philadelphia Mint. The overall mintage was limited to 1,000,000 coins, which was an increase from the level set for the prior year’s Olympic Silver Dollars. Less coins were actually sold with the final tally narrowly exceeding 100,000. The low mintages for this coin now drive significant premiums, particularly for the uncirculated version.
Coin Specifications
Designer: James C. Sharpe (obverse), Thomas D. Rogers (reverse)
Weight: 26.7300 g
Composition: 90% Silver (0.7736 ounces of silver)
Diameter: 38.1 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 1,000,000
1996-D Uncirculated Tennis Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $27.95
Regular Price: $31.95
Final Mintage: 15,983
1996-P Proof Tennis Silver Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $30.95
Regular Price: $34.95
Final Mintage: 92,016
The 1996 Olympic Soccer Half Dollar was one of four different commemorative half dollar coins issued for the Atlanta XXVI Olympiad Summer Games. The program also included eight different silver dollars and four different $5 gold coins. The large number of coins began to discourage some collectors from commemorative coin collecting.
The obverse of the Soccer Half Dollar was designed by Clint Hansen and features two women playing soccer. The inscriptions include “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “Atlanta XXXVI Olympiad”, the date “1996″ and the Olympics logo.
The reverse design of the coin is the same as used for the 1996 Swimming Half Dollar. It features an arrangement of the Olympic flame, logo, and number “100″. This is surrounded by the inscriptions “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, and “Atlanta 1996″. The denomination “Half Dollar” appears in the center of the coin, split by the Olympic flame.
The 1996 Soccer Half Dollar had a maximum authorized mintage of 3,000,000 coins. Like all issues of the 1995-1996 Olympic Commemorative Coin program, this proved to be overly optimistic. About 165,000 coins were ultimately sold across the proof and uncirculated versions of the coins. This lower sales figure actually worked in the favor of collectors who purchased the coins, as they now carry premiums on the secondary market.
Coin Specifications
Designer: Clint Hansen (obverse), Malcolm Frey (reverse)
Weight: 11.3400 g
Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
Diameter: 30.61 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 3,000,000
1996-S Uncirculated Soccer Half Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $10.50
Regular Price: $11.50
Final Mintage: 52,836
1996-S Proof Soccer Half Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $11.50
Regular Price: $12.50
Final Mintage: 112,412
The 1996 Olympic Swimming Half Dollar continued the expansive commemorative coin program for the XXVI Olympiad Games held in Atlanta, Georgia. The program included a total of 16 different coins issued over the course of two years.
The obverse design of the Swimming Half Dollar was designed by William Krawczewicz. The inscriptions include “Liberty” and “In God We Trust” above the swimmer, and the date “1995″ below the swimmer.
The reverse features the Olympic Flame, Olympics logo, and “100″ arranged in the form of a torch. The year marked the 100th anniversary of the first modern Olympic Games. The inscriptions around the edge read “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, and “Atlanta 1996″. The denomination appears in the cent. This was designed by Malcolm Frey and used for both 1996 Olympic Half Dollar coins.
The 1996 Swimming Half Dollar was offered in both proof and uncirculated versions minted at San Francisco. The coins had a maximum mintage of 3,000,000 coins, which was an increase from the level set for the prior year’s Olympic halves. Ultimately, the Swimming Half Dollar sold significantly fewer coins than the year before. As often the case for commemoratives of the era, this lower mintage ultimately made the coins more valuable.
Coin Specifications
Designer: William Krawczewicz (obverse), Malcolm Frey (reverse)
Weight: 11.3400 g
Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
Diameter: 30.61 mm
Maximum Authorized Mintage: 3,000,000
1996-S Uncirculated Swimming Half Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $10.50
Regular Price: $11.50
Final Mintage: 49,533
1996-S Proof Swimming Half Dollar
Pre-Issue Price: $11.50
Regular Price: $12.50
Final Mintage: 114,315
