1994 U.S. Prisoner of War Museum Commemorative Silver Dollar

The 1994 U.S. Prisoner of War Museum Commemorative Silver Dollar was struck by the US Mint to be "emblematic of the experience of Americans who have been prisoners-of-war," according to the legislation that authorized them.

Unfortunately, some Americans have been taken as prisoners of war in engagements as far back as the start of the country. However, perhaps no facility on American soil is more a reminder of that than Andersonville National Historic Site near Andersonville, Georgia. It is at this location that the Confederate States of America held a total of 45,000 different Union soldiers that were captured during the American Civil War.

Of those 45,000, 12,913 died, most as a result of the poor conditions of the prison. It is for that reason that the National Prisoner of War Museum was placed on the grounds to serve as a reminder of the hardships faced by those who have been captured in the line of duty during the entire history of the United States.

Silver Dollar Information

The U.S. Prisoner of War Museum Commemorative Silver Dollars were authorized in Title II of Public Law 103-186. Specifically, this section was entitled the United States Veterans Commemorative Coin Act of 1993 and also authorized Women in Military Service Memorial Silver Dollars and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Silver Dollars.

The obverse design was completed by Tom Nielsen and engraved by Alfred Maletsky to show a chained eagle breaking free to represent freedom. Included on the obverse as well are the inscriptions of LIBERTY, FREEDOM, IN GOD WE TRUST and 1994.

On the reverse, the proposed U.S. Prisoner of War Museum was shown, as designed by Edgar Z. Steever. Also shown are the inscriptions of NATIONAL PRISONER OF WAR MUSEUM, E PLURIBUS UNUM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ONE DOLLAR and the mintmark.

Proof U.S. Prisoner of War Museum Silver Dollars were struck by the US Mint at its facility in Philadelphia. The uncirculated silver dollars were struck at West Point.

The authorizing law dictated that the first $3,000,000 raised by surcharges on the Prisoner of War Museum Silver Dollars be paid to the Secretary of the Interior to aid in the construction of the Andersonville Prisoner-of-War Museum in Andersonville, Georgia. Any remaining surcharge income was to be split equally between the Andersonville Prisoner of War Museum Endowment Fund and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for purposes of maintaining national cemeteries.

1994 U.S. Prisoner of War Museum Silver Dollar Coin Specifications