1991 Mount Rushmore Golden Anniversary Commemorative Silver Dollars

The 1991 Mount Rushmore Golden Anniversary Commemorative Silver Dollars were issued by the United States Mint to celebrate fifty years since the completion of construction on Mount Rushmore.

Initial construction on Mount Rushmore began with an idea by South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson to sculpt the figures of famous people somewhere in the Black Hills of the state to attract tourists. To that end, he enlisted the help of noted sculptor Gutzon Borglum who decided that the sculpture should be placed on a mountain known as Mount Rushmore and consist of several former Presidents of the United States who were important to the history of the country.

Congress authorized the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission on March 3, 1925 and construction began in 1927. It continued off and on for the next fourteen years under the eye of Gutzon, following for a short time by his son Lincoln when Gutzon passed away in 1941. When completed to the point as it is seen today, the sculpture included the likenesses of President George Washington, President Thomas Jefferson, President Theodore Roosevelt and President Abraham Lincoln.

The "heads" of the Presidents are approximately 60 feet high and have long been seen as an icon for the United States of America. More than two million people visit the Memorial annually.

Silver Dollar Information

Public Law 101-332, known as the Mount Rushmore Commemorative Coin Act, authorized the Mount Rushmore Golden Anniversary Commemorative Silver Dollars along with Mount Rushmore clad half dollars and Mount Rushmore $5 gold coins. No more than 2.5 million of the silver dollars were authorized by the Act but barely more than a third of that amount were ever sold.

The obverse shows an image of Mount Rushmore depicting the work of Gutzon Borglum. It was designed by Marika Somogyi. Also shown are the inscriptions of GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and 1991.

On the reverse, which was designed by United States Mint Sculptor / Engraver Frank Gasparro, an outline of the United States is shown with the Great Seal of the United States shown above. Included as well are the inscriptions of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DOLLAR, SHRINE OF DEMOCRACY, E PLURIBUS UNUM and the mintmark.

The Proof Mount Rushmore Golden Anniversary Silver Dollars were struck at the US Mint’s facility in San Francisco. The uncirculated coins were struck at the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia.

Surcharges of $7 per silver dollar sold were to be split between the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society of Black Hills
to aid in the restoration of the memorial and the Treasury Department to reduce the national debt.

1991 Mount Rushmore Golden Anniversary Silver Dollar Coin Specifications