Buy Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Coins Online
Our catalog of Vietnam veterans commemorative coins centers on a single U.S. Mint program: the 1994 Vietnam Veterans Memorial silver dollar. We offer it in both versions the Mint produced, the uncirculated coin struck at West Point with a W mint mark and the proof struck at Philadelphia with a P. Each is a one-dollar U.S. legal tender coin containing 0.7734 troy ounces of silver.
Live pricing and the current bid appear on both product pages, so you can compare the two finishes directly and see what each would bring if you sold it back to us.
What Are Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Coins?
This vietnam commemorative coin is a congressionally authorized silver dollar honoring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Americans who served in the war. Unlike a private medal or challenge coin, it was struck by the U.S. Mint, sold for a limited time and never reissued, with a surcharge on each sale directed to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization that built the memorial.
Buyers choose between two finishes. The proof has mirrored fields and frosted design elements, while the uncirculated coin has a softer satin finish and was produced in much smaller numbers. Many buyers are veterans or family members of those who served, and the coin is a common choice for marking a homecoming anniversary, a retirement or a visit to the Wall.
History and Background
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in November 1982 on the National Mall. Designed by Maya Lin, then an architecture student, it consists of two polished black granite walls set into the earth in a shallow V, inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died or remain missing, listed in the order they were lost. Visitors often touch the names or make rubbings of them, and that gesture became the heart of the coin's design.
In 1994, Congress authorized silver dollars for the memorial alongside two other veterans' programs, the Prisoner of War and Women in Military Service dollars. The Vietnam coin's obverse shows an outstretched hand touching names on the Wall, with the Washington Monument rising in the distance. Its reverse features service medals associated with the Vietnam War. Unlike some programs, there was no gold or clad version, so this silver dollar is the only coin the program produced.
Purity, Weight, and Specifications
Both versions follow the U.S. commemorative silver dollar standard of the era: 26.73 grams of .900 fine silver with 10% copper, for 0.7734 troy ounces of pure silver. The 0.7734 oz figure in our listings is that silver content, not the coin's total weight.
The weight and purity aren't inscribed on the coin. What identifies each version is the date, 1994, and the mint mark: W for the West Point uncirculated coin and P for the Philadelphia proof.
Available Brands, Mints, and Product Variations
Both coins we carry are U.S. Mint issues. The 1994-W uncirculated dollar was struck at West Point and was the smaller of the two releases by a wide margin. The 1994-P proof came from Philadelphia, where the Mint struck the proofs for all three 1994 veterans programs.
Our proof listing title also includes "BU", but the coin is a proof, with the cameo contrast between mirrored fields and frosted design that proof strikes are known for. If you want a matched pair of the program, buying one of each version gives you both finishes of the same design.
Pricing, Premiums, and Market Factors
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial dollar sells at a collector premium above its silver value, not near spot. Silver content sets a floor, but the price you'll pay reflects how many coins were made, the coin's condition, its finish and how strongly collectors want it.
Mintage explains much of the difference between the two versions, since the West Point uncirculated coin was produced in far smaller numbers than the Philadelphia proof. Condition and grade come next, and certified examples carry their own premiums. A coin with its original government packaging, meaning the Mint box and certificate of authenticity, usually draws more buyers than one without, and lasting interest in the subject among veterans and their families keeps demand steady. Comparing ask and bid on each listing shows the spread before you commit.
Condition, Packaging, and What to Expect
Both coins are original U.S. Mint strikes that never entered circulation. After three decades, light toning or small spots can appear even on coins stored in their capsules, so some variation between examples is normal. Proofs show handling marks most easily and should stay in their capsules.
The Mint first sold these coins in capsules with a presentation box and certificate of authenticity. Each listing notes what packaging is included, so check it if the original box and certificate matter to you.
Authenticity and Verification
We inspect every coin before shipment to confirm the date, mint mark and finish match your order, and we source from established wholesalers. You can confirm a coin yourself by checking its weight against the 26.73 gram standard, confirming the correct mint mark and examining the fine detail in the names on the Wall, which should be sharp on a genuine strike. As an authorized PCGS and NGC dealer, we can also advise on independent grading.
Liquidity and Resale Considerations
The proof was distributed widely enough that dealers price it routinely, while the scarcer uncirculated coin tends to sell to collectors who specifically want it. Both are easiest to resell with clean surfaces and the original Mint box and certificate, and the program's link to the memorial gives it a steady base of interest.
Storage and Security
Keep each coin in its Mint capsule and store it somewhere cool, dry and stable, away from sunlight, PVC plastics and household chemicals that can cause spotting on .900 silver. A home safe works well for a coin or two, and keeping the box and certificate stored flat alongside it preserves the complete set for the future.
Selling and Buyback Options
You can sell either version back to us through our two-way marketplace, using the bid on the product page as your starting reference. Our purchasing team confirms the price, inspects the coin on arrival and sends payment. Bids reflect finish, condition, packaging and current demand, with silver prices playing a smaller role than they do for bullion.
Why Buy Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Coins?
For many people, this coin is a way to hold onto something the Wall represents. Its design captures a moment almost every visitor shares, reaching out to touch a name, and its purchase originally supported the memorial itself. For a Vietnam veteran or a family that lost someone, it carries a meaning no bullion coin can.
It's also a well-defined collectible: one design, two finishes, a single year and a government origin. Owners of the companion 1994 Prisoner of War and Women in Military Service dollars often add it to complete the trio.
Why Buy from Bullion Standard?
Bullion Standard has served precious metals buyers from San Diego since 2010, built on the conviction that trust is earned once. We hold an A+ BBB rating, belong to the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association, and accept cards, PayPal, Plaid bank payments, wire, check and BitPay cryptocurrency. Because we buy back what we sell, the bid on each page reflects a real two-way market.
Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro
Bullion Standard Pro gives members live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing with no dealer markup or spread added. A commemorative like this one still carries its collector premium at wholesale, but Pro shows exactly where that premium sits, values holdings at live wholesale bid and offers historical premium and spread data for buyers who want to see how a coin truly trades.
(833) 278-4653
