2008 Van Buren $1 Coin and Medal Set

Appearing as the last of four similar releases honoring the former Presidents of the United States and their spouses in 2008 from the US Mint was the 2008 Van Buren $1 Coin and Medal Set.

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While the set may have been the last for 2008, it only marked the eighth out of at least thirty-eight that are scheduled to appear through the year 2016. The sets include a Presidential $1 Coin and a bronze medal replica of the associated First Spouse Gold Coin.

In this case an Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin and a Van Buren’s Liberty Medal are included. Normally, the Presidents spouse is featured on the medal, however, as Van Buren’s wife passed away 18 years before his inauguration, an image of Liberty is used instead.

Presidential Coin & Spouse Medal Sets

Those individuals honored in 2007 and 2008 as part of the Presidential $1 Coin series and the First Spouse series included:

  • 2007 – George Washington and Martha Washington
  • 2007 – John Adams and Abigail Adams
  • 2007 – Thomas Jefferson and Liberty
  • 2007 – James Madison and Dolley Madison
  • 2008 – James Monroe and Elizabeth Monroe
  • 2008 – John Quincy Adams and Louisa Adams
  • 2008 – Andrew Jackson and Liberty
  • 2008 – Martin Van Buren and Liberty

As shown by this Van Buren Set, if the President was not married during his tenure then an image of the mythical figure of Liberty will be used instead.

Issue Information

The Van Buren Presidential $1 Coin and the Van Buren Liberty Bronze Medal are each mounted on a plastic card imprinted with a colorful image of Van Buren.

Release Date

The United States Mint released the Van Buren Coin and Medal Set on October 27, 2008.

Issue Price

$7.95 is listed as the release price for the Van Buren Set.

U.S. Mint Production Facility

The uncirculated Presidential Coin included in the set was minted at the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia.

Designer & Sculptor / Engraver

Joel Iskowitz designed the portrait of Martin Van Buren found on the obverse (heads side) of his Presidential $1 Coin. It was sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The reverse (tails side) of the coin features an image of the Statue of Liberty designed and sculpted by Don Everhart.

The obverse of the Van Buren medal shows an image of Liberty taken from the Liberty Seated Dime coin produced from 1837–1891. It was designed by United States Mint Engraver Christian Gobrecht. The reverse shows a young Van Buren reading a book with his family’s tavern shown in the background. It was designed by Thomas Cleveland and sculpted by Jim Licaretz.

Coin Specifications

Face Value: $1
Finish: Uncirculated
Composition: 88.5% Cu,
6% Zn,
3.5% Mn,
2% Ni
Standard Weight: 8.1 g
Standard Diameter: 1.043 in. or
26.49 mm
Edge: Lettered

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