Uncovering America's Heritage... Coin by Coin

2005 Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Silver Dollar

Hi there!  I want to show you this new 2005 Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Silver Dollar.  Isn't it pretty?  I picked this new coin for July because the Corps has an important July in its history.  It has to do with the Continental Marines.

But maybe you never heard of the Continental Marines.  Congress created this service in November of 1775 to help the colonies fight the Revolutionary War.  The Marines mostly fought in places like the Bahamas, where only ships could go.  But they also fought on the mainland.  For instance, they fought alongside the Continental Army in the second battle of Trenton in 1776.

And did you know that our Revolution was not fought only on American soil?  In 1778, some Marines under John Paul Jones raided Great Britain!  Twice!

After the Revolutionary War ended, America sold all its war ships and put an end to the Continental Marines and the Continental Navy.  Now here's that big July:  In July of 1798, Congress and President John Adams brought the Continental Marines back with the name we know it by today:  The United States Marine Corps.

During World War II, Allied forces set out to recapture the Pacific islands that the Japanese had taken.  The last island left to recapture was Iwo Jima.  When soldiers raised the American flag on Iwo Jima, a photographer captured the event.  The photograph was used as a model for the sculpture that became the Marine Corps War Memorial.  The famous photograph was also used to create the obverse image on this commemorative coin.

In its 230 years, the Marine Corps has fought for American freedom and peace all over the world.  The Corps' motto is "Always Faithful," which in Latin is "Semper Fidelis"...or, as the Marines like to say, "Semper Fi!"

By the way...how is your Marine Corps IQ?  Find out with this fun quiz on the information from the commemorative coins page and the July 2005 Coin of the Month!  Take the Marine Corps Quiz!

—Plinky