1991 Korean War Memorial Commemorative Silver Dollars

The 1991 Korean War Memorial Commemorative Silver Dollars were released by the United States Mint to acknowledge the 38th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War and to raise funds for the creation of the Korean War Memorial.

The Korean War began in 1950 between the Republic of Korea, now known as South Korea, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea. American involvement in the war was almost instant through its affiliation with the United Nations. To that end, almost half a million United States military members were involved in the engagement at one point or another.

Honoring those individuals who served in Korea, the Korean War Memorial was built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was authorized by Congress in 1986, but the official groundbreaking did not occur until  June 14, 1992. It was finally dedicated on July 27, 1995 and consists of a triangle intersecting a circle. The walls of granite contain more than 2,500 photographic images from the conflict.

Silver Dollar Information

The Korean War Veterans Memorial Thirty-Eighth Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act (Public Law 101-495) authorized these silver dollars. In the act, no more than 1,000,000 of the coins were authorized, with a majority of those actually being sold

The obverse was designed by United States Mint Sculptor – Engraver John Mercanti and shows an Army infantryman in full gear with planes of the Air Force shown overhead and a ship of the United States Navy underneath. Also included are the inscriptions of THIRTY EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE, KOREA, IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, 1953 and 1991.

On the reverse, United States Mint Sculptor – Engraver James Ferrell showed an outline of the Korean peninsula, divided at the 38th parallel. An eagle’s head is shown looking at the peninsula. Also included are the inscriptions of ONE DOLLAR, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and the mintmark.

The United States Mint struck the Korean War Memorial Proof Silver Dollars at its facility in Philadelphia. The uncirculated coins were struck at its facility in Denver.

Surcharges of $7 per silver dollar sold were to be given to the  Korean War Veterans Memorial Fund in the United States Treasury.

1991 Korean War Memorial Silver Dollar Coin Specifications