WASHINGTON — The United States Mint on Sept. 14 released special-issue “Enduring Liberty” half dollar coins bearing a “09-11-01” privy mark into general circulation, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The coins entered circulation four days after the Sept. 11 anniversary, the Mint said. The privy mark — a small design element added to identify special-issue coins — makes these half dollars historically distinctive from standard circulation coins.
Commemorative coins released into general circulation, as opposed to collector-only sets, are notable numismatic events because they reach everyday Americans through routine commerce. The decision to circulate the Sept. 11 coins rather than restrict them to collectors ensures the memorial reaches the broadest possible public.
The Enduring Liberty half dollar represents the Mint’s formal contribution to marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001. The attacks fundamentally reshaped American national security, foreign policy and domestic life.
For Americans, the coins offer a tangible connection to the nation’s collective memory of the attacks. Half dollars are among the least commonly circulated U.S. coins, which may increase the commemorative appeal of encountering one bearing the Sept. 11 privy mark.
The Mint produces coins for general circulation and for collectors. Commemorative programs are authorized by Congress and serve as official instruments of national remembrance.