In 2002, the US Mint produced a silver dollar recognizing the Military Academy at West Point’s bicentennial anniversary.
The reverse of the coin contains an image taken from their Sylvanus Thayer Award. From the the award web site:
The Award is given to a citizen of the United States, other than a West Point graduate, whose outstanding character, accomplishments, and stature in the civilian community draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: “Duty, Honor, Country.” The individual selected for the Thayer Award must agree to accept the Award at West Point.
The reverse of the award (from the award web site):
Now, take a look at the reverse of the 2002 West Point commemorative coin:
Not all of the Thayer award’s design is included, however the US Mint’s artists captured the design from the shield beautifully.
So, what is the significance of this coin, today?
On May 12, 1962, General Douglas MacArthur accepted the Sylvanus Thayer Award and gave his “Duty, Honor, Country” speech to the cadets and other members of the audience that day.
In the Press-Courier newspaper, they ran an article titled MacArthur’s remarkable speech to cadets. They comment, “In this dramatic speech, delivered without text or even notes, the 82-year-old general bid farewell to the cadet corps and gave it a code of conduct.”
The article also states that General MacArthur graduated from the Academy in 1903, first in his class. Since 1962, the award criteria must have changed as it now states that graduates cannot win.
On the Thayer award site and in the article, the strength and power of General MacArthur’s speech comes through in his words.
Near the end of the speech, he said,
“In my dreams I hear again the crash of guns, the rattle of musketry, the strange mournful mutter of the battlefield. But in the evening of my memory I come back to West Point. Always there echoes and re-echoes: Duty, honor country.”
If you look closely at the Thayer medallion’s reverse, “Duty, Honor, Country” can be seen along the edge of the coin under the shield. With the other inscriptions on the West Point silver dollar reverse, it would have been difficult to include the motto on the coin.
Certainly “Duty, Honor, Country” can be recognized in General MacArthur’s character and in the Cadet Corps of the Military Academy at West Point.
In closing his speech, General MacArthur told the Cadet Corps, “I bid you farewell.”
In the commemorative coin market today, this coin is not an expensive coin, but its value does fluctuate when silver prices go up and down. Whether proof or uncirculated, this coin makes a beautiful addition to a collection.