2016 Mark Twain Commemorative Silver Dollars Release

Silver dollars commemorating the life and legacy of Mark Twain are just a few hours away from launching. Struck in numismatic qualities of uncirculated and proof, the United States Mint will release them at noon ET on Monday, February 1, at introductory prices of $44.95 and $45.95.

Sales of the silver coins are expected to be robust in the early going, and more so for the proof edition. Proof coins tend to always be more popular than uncirculated coins but the proof Mark Twain Silver Dollar could be more so as it features multiple laser frosting intensities to enhance their designs. The unique treatments will help drive sales.

Polishing and Laser Frostings of Proof Mark Twain Silver Dollar

Here is a U.S. Mint graphic of the proof silver dollars showing their design enhancements:

Yellow is for the standard proof finish, which appears on all regular proof coin surfaces, and orange is for the standard laser frosting, which also appears on all regular proof coins and their raised designs. Unique for this coin are the two in-between intensities, shown in purple for "light-plus" laser frosting and in blue for heavy laser frosting.

Silver Coin Designs

Designs for the silver dollars were first unveiled at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Mo. on November 28, 2015.

Featured on the obverse (heads side) is a portrait of Mark Twain holding a pipe. Smoke from the pipe form a silhouette of two of his most famous literary characters Huck Finn and Jim on a raft in the background. Inscriptions of "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "2016" complete the image. The design is the work of United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Chris Costello and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso.

Found on the reverse are characters leaping from the pages of Mark Twain’s works. This includes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, the frog from The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Jim and Huck from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "$1," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" are inscribed around the design. AIP artist Patricia Lucas-Morris designed the image with sculpting by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Renata Gordon.

Silver Coin Specifications

Both coins are composed from 90% silver and 10% copper, weigh 26.73 grams, have a diameter of 1.500 inches, have reeded edges, and are produced at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and bear a ‘P’ mint mark on their obverse. Each coin includes 0.773 troy ounces of silver, making their melt value almost right at $11 based on the current silver price of $14.24 an ounce.

$5 Gold Commemorative Coins

Previously, on January 14, commemorative 2016 $5 Mark Twain Gold Coins in proof and uncirculated qaulities went on sale. Their prices can change-up weekly depending on the gold market. Current pricing is $376.15 for the proof and $371.15 for the uncirculated.

Like the proof of the silver dollar, the proof $5 gold coin offers multiple frosting levels. (See photos of the Mark Twain gold coins.) The most recent U.S. Mint sales stats have their splits at 7,432 for the proof and 3,518 for the uncirculated, combining to 10,950 for 11% of the maximum.

Ordering

The $5 gold coins may be ordered now. Mint ordering pages for them and the silver dollars are online here. Phone orders for available coins may be called in using 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

Regular silver dollar pricing begins 3:00 p.m. ET on March. 2. Then, the price of each silver coin rises by $5.

Neither coin has any household ordering limits. The Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act of 2012, Public Law 112-201, dictates that up to 100,000 $5 gold coins and 350,000 $1 silver coins be issued.

Surcharges

Surcharges will be collected on the sale of each commemorative in the amount of $35 per gold coin and $10 per silver dollar. These surcharges will be divided into four parts and distributed to:

• Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Conn.
• University of California, Berkeley, for the benefit of the Mark Twain Project at the Bancroft Library
• Elmira College in New York for research and education purposes
• Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Mo.

2016 will also find the United States Mint issuing National Park Service Centennial Commemorative Coins. Gold coin, silver dollar and 50-cent clad editions go on sale March 26.