New US Marshals Coins
The latest commemorative coins from the United States Mint, and first of 2015, celebrate the 225th anniversary of the U.S. Marshals Service. The U.S. Marshals Service was formed in 1789 along with the federal judicial system, making it the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. The U.S. Marshals are part of the executive branch of government and serve as the enforcement arm of the U.S. federal courts. The agency was created by the signing of the Judiciary Act by President George Washington on September 24, 1789.
Some notable accomplishments and responsibilities throughout the history of the U.S. Marshals Service, as listed on the U.S. Mint website, include:
- Conducting the federal census from 1790 to 1870
- Keeping law and order in the "Old West"; tracking the outlaw known as Billy the Kid and apprehending desperadoes such as the Dalton Gang and the Wild Bunch
- Confiscating property used to subvert the federal government and rooting out Confederate spies in the Civil War
- Safeguarding federal property and commerce by keeping trains rolling during the Pullman strike of 1894
- Protecting the home front against enemy spies in World War I
- Enforcing Prohibition laws
- Assisting in the integration of the University of Mississippi and enforcing federal laws related to civil rights
- Establishing and operating the Witness Security Program (commonly known as "witness protection")
- The Service arrests 302 fugitives every day on average.
An extensive history of the agency can be found by visiting the official U.S. Marshals Service website, www.usmarshals.gov.
Some of the more notable U.S. Marshals of years past include Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok, Bass Reeves, Bat Masterson, Phoebe Couzins (the first woman appointed to the agency, in 1887) and John W. Marshall (the first African-American to serve as Director of the U.S. Marshals Service, from 1999-2001).
The six coin options in the U.S. Marshals Service Commemorative Coin Program are comprised of both a proof and mint state version of a $5 Gold Coin, a $1 Silver Coin and a Half-Dollar Clad Coin. Each denomination features a unique design.
On the gold obverse you’ll find an image of the United States Marshal Service Star with a western-style backdrop. Inscriptions are 1789, LIBERTY, 2014, UNITED STATES, IN GOD WE TRUST, 2015, MARSHAL and 225 YEARS OF SACRIFICE. The gold reverse design depicts an eagle holding a flag. The eagle is protected by a shield inscribed “U.S. Marshal”. Additional inscriptions are JUSTICE INTEGRITY SERVICE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and $5.
The obverse of the silver dollar also features an image of the United States Marshal Service Star, but along the bottom are silhouettes of Old West U.S. Marshals riding along on horseback. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, 1789-2014, IN GOD WE TRUST, and 2015. The silver reverse design depicts a frontier U.S. Marshal, seemingly from the Wild West days of the nation, leaning against a post and holding a poster that reads “Wanted in Ft. Smith”. Additional inscriptions are JUSTICE INTEGRITY SERVICE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and $1.
The clad half-dollar obverse design depicts a modern-day female U.S. Marshal wearing tactical gear in the foreground, along with an Old West U.S. Marshall standing beside his horse in the background. The inscriptions are LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, 2015 and 1789-2014. The clad reverse depicts a blindfolded Lady Justice holding the scale of justice in her left hand and the U.S. Marshals Service Star in her right. Next to Lady Justice is a copy of the United States Constitution, a stack of school books, handcuffs and a whiskey jug – all objects that symbolize well-known areas of responsibility in the history of the U.S. Marshals Service. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM and HALF DOLLAR.
The Silver Dollar and Clad Half-Dollar coins are now available to add to your collection today!
