M1 Garand Makes A Cameo On Upcoming Quarter Design

By Chris Eger

Millions of M1 Garands saw service with the Army and Marines in WWII, and the venerated rifle makes an appearance on an upcoming coin being produced by the U.S. Mint. (Photos: U.S. Mint/National Archives)
An upcoming quarter struck by the U.S. Mint depicts a World War II scene on a far-flung American shore complete with iconic M1 Garand rifles. The coin, the 48th in the Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program, depicts U.S. forces coming ashore at Asan Bay, Guam during the liberation of that territory from Japanese occupation in 1944.
Sculpted by Michael Gaudioso, the design is for the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam and “honors the bravery, courage, and sacrifice of those participating in the campaigns of the Pacific Theater during World War II.”
In the scene on the coin’s reverse side, in the arms of the troops coming ashore from landing vehicles are a number of distinctive M1s. The 30.06-caliber semi-automatic rifle, designed by John Garand, was adopted by the Army in the 1930s and by the Marines just after the start of the War. It was the primary infantry rifle of the military until the M14 replaced it in the 1960s. Nearly 6 million M1s were produced from 1937

Source: Guns.com