Dies used to stamp 911 Silver Medals are seen with a freshly-minted medal at the U.S. Mint at West Point in West Point, N.Y., on Thursday, May 17, 2012. The mint next to U.S. Military Academy specializes in producing bullion coins made from gold, silver and platinum, but since last year has also been making medals that help raise funds for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan. AP Photo/Mike Groll.
The U.S. Mint worker dons surgical gloves as she sprays down the large silver pieces like flowers in a garden. They clank and jingle in the tray as liquid beads up on their mirror-like surfaces and they are sent on their way, to be transformed into medals in memory of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The mint next to U.S. Military Academy, specializes in producing bullion coins made from gold, silver and platinum, but since last year has also been making medals that help raise funds for the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in lower Manhattan. The memorial receives $10 from the sale of every silver medal, which is roughly the size of an old dollar coin and sells for $66.95.
The high-security mint rarely opens its doors to visitors, but let reporters in this week to watch blank rounds of silver be struck into medals featuring Lady Liberty holding a flaming lamp before two shafts of light symbolizing the fallen towers. The inscription reads “Always Remember.”
The back features an eagle with a backdrop of falling water — an echo of cascading water surrounding reflecting pools at the memorial in lower Manhattan, about 55 miles south of West Point.
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