The U.S. Mint has been authorized by the U.S. Congress to produce a variety of United States Commemorative Coins over the years. These coins are produced to commemorate (celebrate and/or honor) people, places, events or institutions and are usually divided into Old (1892-1981) and Modern (1982-present) coins.
There have been many people that have been memorialized on U.S. Commemorative Coins. In recent years, famous people like Benjamin Franklin, Chief Justice John Marshall, Thomas Edison and Leif Erickson have been honored. In 1992, Christopher Columbus was commemorated on a Commemorative Gold Coin ($5) as well as a Silver Dollar and half dollar. Older examples of people commemorated include Queen Isabella of Spain, Daniel Boone and Ulysses S. Grant.
Examples of places that were honored include the White House with the 200th Anniversary Dollar issued in 1992, the West Point Bicentennial Coin (2002) and the Smithsonian 150th Anniversary in 1996 with a Commemorative $5 Gold coin.
The Korean War Memorial Silver Dollar was produced as a Mint Commemorative Coin in 1991 and the Vietnam War Memorial Silver Dollar was produced in 1994 for the 10th Anniversary of the Memorial, but it could be argued that both Memorials honor the men that fought and died in these wars as much if not more than the memorials themselves.
Same is true for the Statue of Liberty that was honored with three Coins in 1986, a $5 Gold Coin, a Silver Dollar coin and half dollar. The Statue of Liberty is a place to be honored, but also it represents the gift that was given to the U.S. by France and has become a symbol of freedom and democracy.
There are many examples of events that have been memorialized on U.S. Commemorative Coins. In 2007, a Silver Commemorative Dollar was issued to remember the Little Rock Central High School, where the desegregation movement began. The Wright brother's First Flight and the Bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark Expedition were also honored.
The Olympic Games have been honored many times including the most recent Olympics held in the U.S., the 2002 Olympic Winter Games (Salt Lake City, Utah). The Centennial Olympics were honored in 1995 and 1996 with at least 16 different Commemorative Coins. The Olympic Games were produced on U.S. Commemorative Coins in 1992 (France and Spain), 1988 (Seoul, Korea), and 1983 and 1984 to honor the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles.
All four of the following; the Bill of Rights, Civil War Battlefield, World War II and the Constitution Bicentennial were memorialized with commemorative five dollar gold coins and Silver Dollars (all but the Constitution Bicentennial were also issued in half dollar Commemorative coins as well).
And finally, institutions have been memorialized on U.S. Commemorative Coins including the U.S. Marine Corps (230th Anniversary) with a Commemorative Silver Dollar and in 2000, the Library of Congress.
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