Commems Collection Modern: 1995 Civil War Battlefields

Back in 1992, the US Congress passed a bill to create a three-coin commemorative program in "commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the protection of Civil War battlefields." The bill was signed into law as Public Law 102-379 by President George Herbert Walker Bush on October 5, 1992.

The legislation called for a program consisting of a copper-nickel clad half dollar of standard specifications, a 0.900 fine silver dollar and a 0.900 fine gold half eagle ($5.00). Maximum mintage totals for each coin were set at two million, one million and 300,000, respectively.

The bill/law was sponsored by the Civil War Battlefield Foundation (later to be renamed the Civil War Trust). The bill/law specified surcharges of $35 for the gold $5.00 coin, $7 for the silver dollar and $2 for the CuNi clad half dollar. If the program had been a complete sell out, the Foundation stood to receive $21.5 million; the program did not reach such sales levels, however.

The gold coin sold a total of 67,981 units (55,246 proof and 12,735 uncirculated), sales of the silver dollar totaled 375,868 (330,002 and 45,866) and total sales for the half dollar were 449,619 (330,099 and 119,520). These sales figures raised over $5.9 million. Unfortunately for the US Mint, it reported a net loss of approximately $400,000 on the CWB program.

The coins were available via multiple product options, including (but not limited to): individual coins (proof or uncirculated), in two- and three-piece sets, in reproduction photo cases (i.e., reproductions of a Thermoplastic Union case) and, for the half dollar, in a Young Collectors Set. (Here, I'll just present the base coins. In future posts, I'll showcase some of the other options.)

The obverse design for each coin was created by noted Civil War artist Don Troiani. Mr. Troiani is a respected historical artist and creates such realistic images that the viewer is practically immersed in the scene. I find the images he developed for the Civil War Battlefield coins to be outstanding and among the best the modern series has to offer. The reverse of each coin was designed by a different artist/illustrator.

Congress has recently specified the use of the same design on all coins of some programs (e.g., 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame, 2019 Apollo 11), but I think allowing a distinct design on each denomination of coin is a much better approach. IMO, taking this to the next level is having a single artist create the designs for each of the coins in a program; I believe it adds an attractive sense of design cohesiveness. For example, I think the circulation coins of Ireland introduced in 1928 - each featuring a different animal on its reverse and all designed by Percy Metcalfe - make for a great looking coin set! I'm glad the Congress did not feel it needed to design the Civil War coins and left such matters to those far more qualified. The result is the classic imagery of a highly skilled artist who specializes in the subject matter.

1995 Civil War Battlefield Gold $5.00


The primary design element on the coin's obverse is a Civil War bugler on horseback. Troiani shows him blowing his bugle and sounding a call to the troops - mustering them for battle? The coin's reverse design presents a bald eagle perched on the US Shield with its wings up, its left talon securing three arrows, its right holding an olive branch and in its beak is seen a ribbon/banner upon which is written "Let us Protect and Preserve." Al Maletsky designed the reverse. Don Troiani's obverse design was engraved by Thomas D. Rogers - the initials of both are included.

1995 Civil War Battlefield Silver $1.00


Troiani's obverse design presents an infantryman raising a canteen to the lips of a wounded foe. I believe it reflects how one's humanity can come through regardless of the situation. The design was engraved by the US Mint's Edgar Zell Steever IV ("EZS" on the coin). The coin's reverse is the work of John Mercanti. It depicts a portion of Little Round Top with the Castle monument (at left) that honors the 44th New York and two companies from the 12th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiments who fought at Gettysburg in 1863. The Castle was dedicated on July 4, 1893; it is the largest such memorial on the battlefield.

Mercanti placed a quotation from Joshua Chamberlain over the landscape image. Chamberlain was a college professor (modern languages and rhetoric) at Bowdoin College in Maine who joined the Union Army in 1862. He became a famous part of US history at the Battle of Gettysburg when the out-of-ammunition 20th Maine Infantry unit under his command, made a victorious bayonet charge against the troops of Confederate General John B. Hood and secured the defense of Little Big Top.

1995 Civil War Battlefield Copper-Nickel Clad Half Dollar


For the half dollar, Troiani created a design that presents a young Civil War drummer in full uniform. His design was engraved by Thomas James Ferrell ("TJF" on the coin).

The Mint describes the reverse design of the coin simply as "a battlefield scene with a cannon." I think its clear from the details of the scene and the accompanying "Enriching Our Future by Preserving the Past" quote (a trademark of the Civil War Trust) that the scene depicts a modern-day preserved battlefield vs. an active wartime battlefield.

Side Note: Thomas James Ferrell died on May 27, 2020; he was 80 years old. Edgar Zell Steever IV died on November 26, 2006; he was 91.

For a look at a Civil War Trust philatelic-numismatic cover (PNC) with the half dollar discussed above, check out:

- 1995 Civil War Battlefields Coin First Day Cover

For more of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, check out: Read More: Commems Collection.