Coast Guard Cutter Valiant

Coast Guard Cutter Valiant

This richly-detailed challenge coin heralds the hard work and dedication of all those who have served aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Valiant. More than a token of service to unit and country, it embodies pride in promises kept, missions met, and lifelong friendships forged with former and current shipmates.

Commissioned in 1967, Valiant has served the U.S. Coast Guard for more than four decades. The seventh vessel in a class of 16 medium-endurance cutters, she carries a full complement of 12 officers and 63 crew members tasked with executing maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, drug and migrant interdiction, and national defense missions. Throughout her long history of service, Valiant has played a prominent role in numerous high-profile operations. In 1980, she assisted dozens of other cutters in response to the Mariel Boatlift, in which thousands of evacuees from Cuba needed to be rescued at sea. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Valiant and her crew were integral in resupplying the devastated island nation and preventing a mass migration of refugees.

Minted in bronze with an antique finish, this coin is accented with vivid enamel that highlights its stunning design. The obverse features the coat of arms of Valiant in full color and detail, with its variety of symbols that conjure the cutter’s tropical area of operations and the courage and agility of its crew. The reverse displays the official crossed-anchors emblem of the U.S. Coast Guard.