The 2002 West Point Bicentennial Silver Dollars were one of two commemorative silver coins issued by the U.S. Mint that year to mark the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.
These silver dollars were minted in both proof and uncirculated versions, each composed of 90% silver and measuring 1.5 inches in diameter. A total of 500,000 coins were authorized under the United States Military Academy Bicentennial Commemorative Coins Act (Public Law 103-328).
West Point originally served as a fort during the American Revolutionary War, with General George Washington recognizing its strategic significance. The academy itself was formally established by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802. Since then, it has produced some of the most distinguished figures in American military history, including Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jefferson Davis, and Douglas MacArthur.
The academy continues to operate today, and the U.S. Mint also has a presence there, with these bicentennial coins being struck on-site.
The obverse of the silver dollar features a design showcasing a cadet color guard in parade formation, with the iconic Washington Hall and Cadet Chapel of West Point in the background. This design was created by U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver James Ferrell, and it includes the inscriptions “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1802,” and “2002.”
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On the reverse, the coin depicts the bicentennial logo of the academy, designed by U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver John Mercanti. Inscriptions on this side include “1802,” “WEST POINT,” “2002,” “BICENTENNIAL,” “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “ONE DOLLAR.”
Proceeds from surcharges collected on the sale of these silver dollars were donated to the West Point Association of Graduates, supporting the academic, military, physical, moral, and ethical development of the Corps of Cadets.