2018 Breast Cancer Awareness Coin – Combats Cancer & Funds Research

Here’s an artist’s rendition of what the image could look like – Courtesy Coin Week.

It could be your sister, your wife, your mother or daughter… this year alone over 249,000 women are expected to receive the shocking news “you have breast cancer!” I received it over 15 years ago when I was 43 and know it can happen to anyone. Now, 3 new U.S. commemoratives will help fight back!

First U.S. pink-gold coins

On April 19th, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill for the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act that will help raise funds for research. The bill granted approval for the mint to strike the first U.S. $5 pink-gold coins, silver dollars and clad half dollars in 2018. Proceeds from their sale will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Rumor has it – the new coins will have a pink hue.

The National Cancer Institute states that breast cancer is the most frequently detected cancer and even affects men too. Thanks to research in the years since I was diagnosed, big strides have been made in diagnosis, treatment and the delivery of therapies to combat this disease.

No taxpayer money used

According to a Coin Week article, no taxpayer money will be used to produce the commemoratives. The foundation will receive money only after the U.S. Treasury has recouped the cost of striking the coins from customer orders. There are many diseases that deserve research and funding, in fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention lists heart disease as the leading killer in the U.S., but cancer ranks second. Let’s hope sales from the 3-coin sets and single coins generate monies for meaningful research and pave the way for other new commemoratives to help fight different illnesses, like heart disease.

Many are concerned the coins will cost taxpayers money, here is language from the HR2722 that addresses the issue:“The bill requires the Secretary to ensure that minting and issuing these coins will not result in any net cost to the United States. After the U.S. Treasury recovers any cost associated with production of the coins, the Secretary will distribute all additional revenue from surcharges to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, to be used for breast cancer research.“

Littleton Coin employees are passionate about cancer awareness, participating in multiple fundraisers per year, like this one, for breast cancer in October.

Introduced by New Hampshire’s Senator

2006 Breast Cancer 25 Cent from the Royal Canadian Mint.

New Hampshire Senator, Kelly Ayotte, helped introduce the Breast Cancer Awareness Commemorative Coin Act, H.R. 2722, along with Senator, Heidi Heitkamp and Representatives, Carolyn Maloney and Pete Sessions. Until now, U.S Commemoratives have primarily focused on events, anniversaries, important people, the Olympics, and Special Olympics, but this coin will chart a new course.

While this is the first U.S. commemorative to highlight breast cancer, Canada has offered such coins in 2006. That year, the Royal Canadian Mint issued a $5 silver piece and a circulating pink ribbon 25¢ coin that was later recognized in May 2007 as the “Best New Coin” by the International Association of Currency Affairs. Perhaps our new 2018 commemoratives will not only raise awareness and money for groundbreaking research, but their designs will be selected at an international coin competition as worthy of a ribbon.