1996 National Community Service Commemorative Silver Dollar

The 1996 National Community Service Commemorative Silver Dollar was issued by the United States Mint to celebrate the students who volunteer to perform community service.

Unfortunately, the coins were released at a time when the number of commemorative coins issued by the Mint was at an all-time high which drastically affected interest in the strikes. It also lead to a new law by Congress that year which limited the number of annual commemorative coin programs to two (not including those programs which had already been authorized).

Silver Dollar Information

These National Community Service Commemorative Silver Dollars were issued as part of section 205 of the much larger Public Law 103-328. This same law also authorized Special Olympics World Games Silver Dollars and the Botanic Garden Silver Dollars, among many other things.

The obverse contains an adaptation of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ medal that he created for the Women’s Auxiliary of the Massachusetts Civil Service Reform Association. It was adapted by U.S. Mint Sculptor / Engraver Thomas D. Rogers and includes the inscriptions of LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, NATIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICE, 1996 and the San Francisco mintmark of ‘S’.

The reverse was designed by U.S. Mint Sculptor / Engraver William C. Cousins and included the words SERVICE FOR AMERICA and E PLURIBUS UNUM surrounded by a wreath. Also shown are the inscriptions of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and ONE DOLLAR.

Proceeds from the surcharge collected on the sale of each of these coins was directed by the legislation to be forwarded to the National Community Service Trust "to fund innovative community service programs at American universities, including the service, research, and teaching activities of the faculty and students involved."

The United States Mint also issued the Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Silver Dollar in 1996.

1996 National Community Service Silver Dollar Coin Specifications