US Mint And DC Announce Second Series Of Medals And Coins Celebrating Comics Art
by Brendan M. Allen
Last summer, the United States Mint partnered with DC Comics for a new coin and medal series that celebrated comic book art. The first three likenesses to adorn the obverse (heads) sides of these coins and medals in the 2025 series were Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman. On the reverse (tails) sides, each coin and medal featured a scene from the respective hero’s world; a farm truck with hood popped in a Kansas field, Batman stood on a rooftop with the Bat Signal lighting up the sky behind him, and Wonder Woman … flying with some doves … in space?*
The Mint’s Chief Engraver, Joseph Menna, is the artist behind the original artwork for the DC Superhero portraits on the obverse side of the coins and medals. Each of the reverse sides will be designed by one of the Mint’s Medallic Artists under Menna’s art direction. Each year’s three designs are struck in gold and silver, with matching clad medal sets available later in the year or early the following year. That allows for collector options ranging from $130 to several thousand dollars.
“This opportunity with DC signals an exciting new era for the Mint as we continue our efforts to engage seasoned collectors, but also connect with younger, more diverse audiences,” said Ventris C. Gibson, Director of the Mint. “We are thrilled to highlight the role that comic books have played in upholding American values, and the fact that the American public will be a guiding force in shaping this coin and medal series makes it even more special.”
This summer will mark the second series of three coin/medal designs. A fan survey helped the US Mint choose the six DC heroes who will join Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in the new Comic Art and Medal Program. This summer’s three new DC Superhero designs have been revealed as Supergirl, Robin, and Green Lantern (John Stewart).
From the wording of the press release, the US Mint left the choice of the second and third wave of superheroes in the hands of fans who voted in a survey. Of the six already chosen, two are women, and only one is a person of color. Mr. Terrific enjoyed a recent surge of popularity following Edi Gathegi’s portrayal of Michael Holt in James Gunn’s Superman. He’d be a solid choice for the third wave. I could also see Cyborg, Vixen, Cassandra Cain, Katana, Static…
Of the 2026 wave, Supergirl 2.5 oz. medals are currently available for purchase, with Kara Zor-El’s 1 oz. medals available for pre-order. Supergirl coins and all of the other 2026 designs are still in the “TBD” status for release date. Check out the initiative and available coins and medals at this link.
*I know Wonder Woman can fly. The odd thing is those doves. The size of Earth in the image suggests a distance of 100+ miles from the planet surface. The Kármán Line is 62 miles out. What kind of bloody pigeons are these, that can not only fly at extreme altitude, but also need no atmosphere to breathe?