New Coin Captures Lasting Legacy of USS JFK
Northwest Territorial Mint, a private mint near Seattle and a leading producer of coins for the U.S. Military, has just created a coin to salute the decommissioning of the USS John F. Kennedy.
After nearly 40 years of service to the Navy and the nation at large, the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) has been retired from the Navy fleet.
Named in honor of America's 35th President, the USS John F. Kennedy was launched in 1967 and received her commission in 1968. Over her four decades of active duty service, the USS John. F. Kennedy completed more than fifteen deployments, including playing a vital role in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dubbed "Big John," the ship measured 1,050 feet in length and boasted more than 80,000 feet of effective landing area. Home to thousands of Navy sailors throughout the Cold War and beyond, the USS John F. Kennedy will forever be remembered as one of America's greatest ships.
This coin commemorates the outstanding service of the USS John F. Kennedy and her dedicated crew. The obverse contains a detailed rendering of the ship's namesake, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, depicted next to the words: "Defending freedom in its hour of darkness." The reverse contains the emblem of the USS John F. Kennedy.
Struck in deep relief using special "splash" dies, this coin is minted in a brass alloy and brushed with an antique bronze finish. The obverse rim is accented with Navy blue enamel. Each piece comes packaged with a detailed header card that describes the contributions of the USS John F. Kennedy to America's national defense.
From the late Middle Ages on, it was common for rulers and other wealthy persons to commission personal medals, often as large as three inches across, usually with their portrait on the obverse (front) and an emblem on the reverse. These were presented to friends and followers, or given to other rulers.
