The 2005 Marine Corps Silver Dollar was issued to mark the 230th anniversary of the Marines and to honor the Marine Corps and all Marines who have sacrificed and contributed in our Nation’s service. The design, featuring an iconic image of the Marine Corps made the coins a huge success with collectors and the broader public. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each coin ($10) was paid to the United States Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for the purpose of constructing the Marine Corps Heritage Center.

Marine Corps Silver Dollars were minted in proof and uncirculated versions at the Philadelphia Mint. The commemorative coin program was originally authorized by President George W. Bush with a maximum mintage of 500,000 coins, but for the first time, this was increased to 600,000 by authority of the Treasury Secretary. The coins were a complete sell-out, and the final mintage figure for the Proof version was 548,810. They became available to order on July 20, 2005, and by September 21, 2005, all the coins had been purchased.

The obverse of 2005 Marine Corps Silver Dollar features the famous scene of Marines raising an American Flag over Iwo Jima that was photographed by Joe Rosenthal. The inscriptions include “Liberty”, “In God We Trust”, “Marines”, and the anniversary dates “1775” and “2005”. 2005 and the artist’s initials are both placed within the rock outcropping that is the summit of Mount Suribachi. The obverse was modeled by Norman E. Nemeth based on the photograph.

The reverse features the emblem of the Marine Corps, featuring an eagle, globe, and antique anchor. The eagle represents our nations, the globe represents worldwide service and the anchor represents naval traditions. The inscriptions on the 2005 Marine Corps Silver Dollar include “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, the Marine Corps motto “Semper Fidelis” (Always Faithful), and the denomination “One Dollar”. The coin’s mintmark is beneath the motto. Two arcs of stars totaling thirteen in all are arranged around the border, and the designer’s initials appear below the globe. The reverse was modeled by Charles Vickers.

The motto of the United States Marine Corps is Semper fidelis, a Latin phrase that means "always faithful" or "always loyal". It is typically shortened to Semper Fi. “Semper fidelis" signifies the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for 'Corps and Country', even after leaving service. "Once a Marine - always a Marine" – there is no such thing as an ex-Marine.

The commemorative coins were produced to the typical specifications of a commemorative silver dollar: a composition of 90% silver, a diameter of 1.5 inches and a total weight of 26.73 grams. The term “proof” refers to a specialized minting process that begins by manually feeding burnished coin blanks into presses fitted with special dies. Each coin is struck multiple times so the softly frosted, yet detailed images seem to float above a mirror-like field. After scrutiny by white gloved inspectors, each Marine Corps Silver Dollar Coin is placed in a protective plastic capsule and mounted in a handsome satin-lined velvet presentation case.

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of American Marines, thereby creating the legendary institution today known as the United States Marine Corps. From the Nation’s birth to the present day, the Marines represent a proud culture of service and contribution in defense of the values and freedoms at the heart of the American experience.

According to the United States Marine Corps Hymn, Marines have "fought in ev’ry clime and place" throughout our Nation’s history. “The Halls of Montezuma...” refers to the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, in which U.S. Marines conquered Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City. “The shores of Tripoli refers to the 1805 Battle of Derne, which was the first overseas land battle fought by the United States military. The story of the Marine Corps is the personification of American military history beginning with the American Revolution. The flag raising at Iwo Jima, represented at the Marine Corps War Memorial, is ingrained in the public mind as perhaps the enduring image of World War II.

The obverse design is based on the best-known Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph. Initially Rosenthal was accused of staging the photograph of six U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. It was taken on Friday, Feb. 23, 1945, five days after the Marines landed on the island. In his own words, he wrote:

“…suddenly over the brow of the topmost ridge we could spy men working with the flagpole they had so laboriously brought up about quarters of an hour ahead of us.
I came up and stood by a few minutes until they were ready to swing the flagpole into position.
I crowded back on the inner edge of the volcano’s rim, back as far as I could, in order to include all I could into the scene within the angle covered by my camera lens.
I rolled up a couple of large stones and a Japanese sandbag to raise my short height clear of an intervening obstruction. I followed up this shot with another of a group of cheering Marines and then I tried to find the four men I heard were the actual instigators of the grand adventure. But they had scattered to their units and I finally gave it up and descended the mountain to get the pictures out and on their way to possible publication.”

Today, the Marines continue to exemplify the warrior spirit that has made it a fighting force of international repute. The philosophy of the Corps—and of the hundreds of thousands of individuals who have earned the title "Marine" over the last 240 years—is simply stated in its core values: Honor. Courage. Commitment.

One Proof condition Marine Corps 230th Anniversary silver dollar made of 90% silver and struck at the Philadelphia Mint .

Marine's Hymn

From the Halls of Montezuma To the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country's battles In the air, on land, and sea; First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine.