Q. David Bowers
"The reverse depicts the Statue's upheld torch, flanked by a passage from Emma Lazarus' poem that appears on the base of the Statue. 'As far as I'm concerned, that was the only thing that could go on the reverse, the torch and Emma Lazarus' poem,' he said. 'I've gone through the poem many times, reading it, rereading it, trying to get just the right phrasing to go on the coin.
"I think that 'Send me your tired and poor' [sic] means so much. Even today, in today's world, it means so much. It's some-thing that's timeless, especially with the state of the world today. You take so much for granted in life. You grow up and you're with your grandparents, you take them for granted; you take your parents for granted, and you never really get a chance to thank anybody for all they've done and all they've sacrificed for you. Doing something like this gave me a chance to thank everybody. It may sound mushy, but it really is. It's a chance to thank everybody. Thank you, for all that you've done.'"
The First-Strike Ceremonies
The first Statue of Liberty silver dollar, a Proof 1986-S, was struck in a special cer-emony on October 18, 1985, at the San Francisco Mint when Deputy Mint Director Eugene Essner received the go-ahead in a telephone call from Secretary of the Treasury Baker (who was at West Point striking the first Statue of Liberty $5 coins).
Coin World gave details: ("For Mercanti, 'This is Highlight of Year," October 30, 1985, p. 10.) "John Mercanti got a chance to strike one of the silver dollars, amid the flashes of still cameras including one wielded by his young son, John-Vincent -and the bright lights of video cameras. After briefly holding the coinup for the audience to see, the designer in him took over. The bearded Mercanti whipped out a small magnifying glass, holding both close to his left eye, and scrutinized the end product of his months of work. He seemed proud.
"A week before the ceremonies, Mercanti and his wife and son went to New York and stood in Battery Park looking at the Statue of Liberty, still enshrouded in the largest free-standing scaffolding in the world as workers continued the restoration of the Statue. Mercanti saidthe emotions welled up inside him as he stood watching the Statue, probably the same view his grand-father and grandmother saw 60 years earlier. A week later, at the ceremonies, he said, 'This is the highlight of the year.'"
Production and Marketing
Eventually 723,635 Uncirculated 1986-P Statue of Liberty dollars were sold, and 6,414,638 1986s Proofs were distributed. Marketing was through direct mail as well as through retail outlets and over 4,500 banks. The 1986 Statue of Liberty dollars were offered in several purchase options, including Nos. 3 to 8 described earlier under the options for 1986 Statue of Liberty half dollars plus additional options:
(Options 1 and 2 were not relevant to 1986 Statue of Liberty silver dollars.)
(3) Two-coin Proof sets contained a 1986-S half dollar and 1986-S silver dollar and were offered at an advance discount price for $29, increased on January 1, 1986, to $ 31.50. The sale of sets under this option amounted to 3,510,776. Coins in plastic capsules were housed in a blue velvet presentation case with a hinged lid and a plaque of the Great Seal on the lid. The case and a descriptive certificate were enclosed in a blue cardboard box imprinted on the lid with the Great Seal and "United States Liberty Coins." The blue box was placed within a blue slipcover similarly imprinted.
(4) Two-coin Uncirculated sets containing the 1986-D half dollar and the 1986-p silver dollar were offered at an advance subscription price of $25.50, increased on January 1, 1986, to $28. The sale of pairs of Uncirculated coins under this option amounted to 172,033 sets. Coins in plastic capsules were on a blue felt tray with a heraldic eagle plaque, the entire set contained in a blue cardboard box with its lid imprinted with the Great Seal and "United States Liberty Coins."
(5) Three-coin Proof sets comprised Proof examples of the 1986-S half dollar, 1986-S silver dollar, and 1986-W $5. The advance discount price of $175 was raised on January 1, 1986, to $206.50. This offer was sold out by January 31, 1986.343,345 sets were distributed. Coins in plastic capsules were housed in a blue velvet presentation case with a hinged lid and a plaque of the Great Seal on the lid. The case and a descriptive certificate were enclosed in a blue cardboard box imprinted on the lid with the Great Seal and "United States Liberty Coins." The blue box was placed within a blue slipcover similarly imprinted.
(6) Three-coin Uncirculated sets included a 1986-D half dollar, 1986-p dollar, and 1986-W $5 and were offered at an advance discount price of $165, raised on January 1, 1986, to $193. By January 31, 1986, this option was sold out. The total number of sets distributed comprised 49,406. Sets were packaged in a blue box.
(7) Six-coin sets contained 1986-S Proof and 1986-D Uncirculated half dollars, 1986-S Proof and 1986-p Uncirculated dollars, and 1986-W Uncirculated and Proof $5 pieces. These were offered at an advance discount price of $375, raised on January 1, 1986, to $439.50. By January 31, 1986, the sets were sold out, by which time 38,983 orders had been received (Walter Breen points out that Coin World, July 29, 1987, page three, gives the alternative quantity of 39, 101). Coins in plastic capsules were housed in a cherry wood box imprinted with the Great Seal. The box and a certificate of authenticity were contained in a blue cardboard box with the lid imprinted with the Great Seal.
(8) Prestige Proof sets consisted of regular 1986-S Proof sets from the Lincoln cent to the half dollar plus the Proof 1986- S Statue of Liberty half dollar and the Proof 1986-S Statue of Liberty dollar. These were first offered on March 10, 1986 at a price of $48.50. Subsequently, 599,314 sets were sold. Each set was mounted in a blue and gray plastic holder with hinged covers of gray suede with a plaque of the Great Seal mounted on the front cover. The holder and a descriptive card were housed in a blue cardboard box imprinted with the Great Seal.
(9) Single 1986-S Proof dollars were first offered at the discount price of $22.50 each. On January 1, 1986, the price was raised to $24. 1,922,102 were sold this way. Each coin was mounted in a plastic capsule housed in a blue velvet presenta-tion case with a hinged lid on which was mounted a plaque of the Great Seal. The case was within a blue cardboard box imprinted with the Great Seal and "United States Liberty Coin. " The box was in a blue slipcover similarly imprinted.
(10) Single 1986-P Uncirculated dollars were first offered at $ 20.50, raised on January 1, 1986, to $22. Sold through this option were 463,095 coins. Each coin was sealed in a plastic capsule and with a descriptive certificate was housed in a felt-lined blue box with the lid imprinted with the Great Seal and "United States Liberty Coin."
Collecting 1986 Statue of Liberty Silver Dollars
Uncirculated 1986-p and Proof 1986-S Statue of Liberty silver dollars are readily available in condition as issued. The design is considered by many to be one of the best of its era, a statement which also extends to the other Statue of Liberty denominations.