2017-10-11 Wed

Utah artist LeRoy Transfield has created designs, which have been selected for the obverse and reverse of the 2018 World War I American Veterans Centennial silver dollar.

On 9th October, in Washington D.C., Transfield’s designs as the winner of the legislatively authorized public design competition in 2016 were unveiled in conjunction with the opening day of the Association of the U.S. Army annual meeting and expo. In the design competition rules, it was stated that the winning designs were originally to be announced in January 2017.

According to authorizing legislation, Transfield won the design competition, which entitles him to be compensated “not less than $5,000” for his work, according to Public Law 113-212. Transfield’s designer's initials and those of Donald Everhart II who sculptured the designs will appear on the coin. Sculpturing of the 2018 coin designs was among Everhart’s final duties as lead sculptor-engraver on the U.S. Mint engraving staff. He retired on 31st July after serving 13 and a half years as a member of the U.S. Mint engraving staff.

Transfield’s obverse design, titled “Soldier’s Charge,” depicts a stone-like soldier gripping a rifle. Barbed wire twines in the lower right-hand side of the design. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, 1918, 2018, and IN GOD WE TRUST. The approved reverse design, titled “Poppies in the Wire,” features abstract poppies mixed in with barbed wire. Inscriptions are ONE DOLLAR, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

In the World War I battlefields, barbed wires were used between trenches to suffocate troop advancement and mechanized machinery movement. Following the trench warfare that took place in the poppy fields of Flanders during World War I, poppies have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime.

The U.S. Mint officials haven’t unraveled how many artists participated in the first phase of the open design competition nor how many designs were submitted. The number of artists from Phase I were pared down to 20 artists, with submitted designs to be accompanied by plaster. The juried competition was evaluated by a seven-member panel comprised of three members, each from the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and chaired by the Treasury secretary or their designee.

The month of January is when the 2018 silver dollar is to be issued in Proof and Uncirculated versions. The maximum combined mintage, according to the enabling legislation, Public Law 113-212, is 400,000 coins. Each coin will carry a $10 surcharge. After the U.S. Mint recoups all of its production and associated costs, net surcharges are to be handed over to the United States Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars, to assist the World War I Centennial Commission in commemorating the centenary of World War I.

On 10th October, the U.S. Mint officials plan to announce the approved designs for the five armed forces silver medals that will be issued in conjunction with the commemorative coin program. The medals are not legislatively authorized but are being issued under the Treasury secretary’s broad authority to issue medals. A 1-ounce .999 fine silver medal will be issued for each military branch — the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines and U.S. Air Force.