John Fitzgerald Kennedy centenary commemorated with a PT-109 themed silver coin from the Solomon Islands.

While it’s the Royal Canadian Mint and the Perth Mint that usually produce and strike limited run silver coins for some of the bigger bullion dealers, other mints sometimes dabble. One that does occasionally is the Royal Australian Mint. For some years now they’ve released silver coins with mintages in the 5,000-10,000 coin range and with a frosted-uncirculated finish. Recent examples are the Dingo, Crocodile and Kangaroo ranges, all card mounted and offered at a lower than prrof finish price.

This new coin is a departure from the usual nature-themed coin the RAM normally designs, featuring one of the most iconic figures in 20th century world history, American president John Fitzgerald Kennedy – JFK. Kennedy had an eventful service in the Second World War and his famous exploits on the torpedo boat PT-109 have been chosen as the theme for this coin commemorating a century since his birth.

Struck in an ounce of fine silver, the coin depicts the PT-109 powering through the waves near some Pacific islands, most likely the Solomon Islands where the boat was wrecked by a collision with a Japanese destroyer. A circular inset in this face depicts an image of JFK relaxing on the boat, a copy of a famous photograph. The inset is the weakest part of the design in our view, the boat being very well realised, but the whole design works well for the subject matter.

Despite being a Royal Australian Mint coin, this one isn’t issued for Australia. Appropriately enough it’s issued for the Solomon Islands, a Commonwealth country that also has the Queens effigy on its obverse. As a result, the design is little different from an Australian issue. It’s mounted to a card, nicely themed and with a brief story printed on it. Available exclusively through US bullion dealer Buillion Exchange, the coin is currently selling for under $50 which puts it at the lower end for these coins, even allowing for the mintage being towards the upper end at 15,000. A nice piece that will surely be popular given the reverence the man is held in. Available now.

Bullion Exchanges and the Royal Australian Mint proudly offer this superb coin honoring the 100th anniversary of the birth of John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1917-1963) – the 35th President of the United States.

The design of this splendid coin pays tribute to the act of heroism, endurance, and leadership shown by Lieutenant John F. Kennedy in 1943 during WWII in the Pacific – the Solomon Islands.

On August 2, 1943, Lt. Kennedy’s crew patrolled the waters in the British Solomon Islands. A Japanese frigate suddenly became visible and was heading straight for Kennedy’s boat at a full speed. Holding the wheel, Lt. Kennedy tried to deflect out of the way, but there wasn’t enough time. The much larger Japanese destroyer crashed Boat PT-109, splitting it in half. Most of the crew was thrown into the water by the force of the impact – two were killed and one was badly burned.

For two days, they stayed on a small abandoned island, living off coconuts and the prospect of a rescue seemed increasingly far. On 5 August, Kennedy, and his colleague George Ross decided to get back into the ocean in search of food and water. On their way to a nearby island, they noticed two people in a canoe – a man named Kumana and his friend Biuku Gasa, the native Coastwatchers based across the Pacific Islands at the time. Gasa showed Kennedy how to scratch a message on a coconut that proved useful to get a message to a U.S. base for rescue. The message read ”Nauro ISL Commander… native knows posit… He can pilot…11 alive need a small boat… Kennedy”. Kumana and Gasa, took the coconut and with only their small canoe risked their lives to deliver the message to the nearest base. The next day, John F. Kennedy and the PT-109 crew were rescued.

The memory of Kumana and Gasa who saved the life of J.F. Kennedy lives in the engraved coconut husk, which Kennedy used as a paperweight on his desk in the Oval office, and is now placed at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library. Kennedy is also memorialized in the Solomon Islands – the island where Kennedy’s boat was crushed is now called “Kennedy Island.”

For his courage, Kennedy was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Medal. When this story was told to the public, a lot of Americans were amazed by the significant fortitude of their President and believed this was the foundation of his well-known leadership. John F. Kennedy was admired by many people as an individual who appealed to the Nation’s highest ideals and inspired many young Americans to engage in the country’s public service.

Elected in 1960 as the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy became the youngest man to hold office and went down in history as one of the most respected and influential politicians. For this reason, the Royal Australian Mint launched this significant coin to pay a tribute to John F. Kennedy’s legacy and celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birthday.

There are several bullion features which make the John F. Kennedy JFK Solomon Islands $1 Coin a very collectible coin on the marketplace. Produced by the Royal Australian Mint, this $1 coin is legal tender of the Solomon Islands. This remarkable silver coin is made of the purest .999 silver with a frosted finish, has a limited mintage of 15,000 pieces, a denomination of $1 dollar and an impressive coin diameter of 40.00 mm, allowing every detail of the coin to look stunning. The obverse side, designed by S.Stojanovic, depicts the PT-109 boat and a portrait of young Lieutenant John F. Kennedy completed with the inscriptions: “1917-2017,” “ONE DOLLAR,” and ”JOHN F. KENNEDY.” The reverse side features the effigy of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, completed with the inscriptions: “2017,” “SOLOMON ISLANDS,” “ELIZABETH II.”