US Mint nixes American Liberty, High Relief Silver medal for 2015

(July 14, 2015 - by Paul Gilkes, Coin World)

United States Mint officials decided July 13 that the bureau will not produce and issue the American Liberty, High Relief silver medal in 2015.

Furthermore, "We have not determined if this product will be released at a later date," Adam Stump, deputy director of the Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications, said via email July 14. No other explanation was offered by Mint officials.

The 1-ounce .999 fine silver medal was anticipated to be a companion product to the 2015-W American Liberty, High Relief, $100 gold coin to be issued July 30. The medal was to bear the same designs as the gold coin but sans the coin inscriptions.

Gary Marks, a member of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee who championed a silver arts medal program while CCAC chairman, said July 14 by email that "when I was at Mint headquarters in June, I discussed the possibility with the Mint’s leadership of delaying the silver medal until 2016."

"Due to the Mint’s current production schedule (for other programs) and the fact that it appeared the silver medal wouldn’t be available until late in 2015, I felt waiting for an early release in 2016 would give the silver medal its best position for success," Marks said. "Given the CCAC’s high interest in the silver medal and the Committee’s extensive and ongoing interaction with Mint personnel on the matter, I am confident we will see a silver medal in 2016.

Mint officials also determined that the American Liberty, High Relief gold coin will not be an annual product, according to Stump.