During its fourth year, the series produced Virginia American Innovation Dollars. The coin’s reverse commemorates the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, connecting Southeast Virginia and the Delmarva Peninsula.
Over the last 56 years, the Bridge-Tunnel has attracted worldwide attention as a marvel of engineering and convenience for the East Coast. As a direct link to the Delmarva Peninsula (counties in Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware along the Main Line), the bridge-tunnel spans the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay, saving 95 miles to points north of Wilmington, Delaware.
At its opening, the Bridge-Tunnel was rated “One of the Best” in a worldwide competition featuring more than one hundred major projects. In addition, “Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement” for 1965 was awarded by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Commercial vehicles and passengers have traversed the Bridge-Tunnel more than 140 million times. In the summer of 1995, a parallel crossing was constructed to meet future traffic demands and provide a safer crossing. This crossing opened to four lanes on April 19, 1999. Despite its challenging nature, this project was no less impressive than the original span construction.
American Innovation Dollar Characteristics
The reverse design shows a cross-section cut-away of the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel, illustrating how ingenious the engineering was. In addition to “United States of America” & “Virginia,” the inscriptions contain “United States of America.” Matt Swaim designed and sculpted the reverse, while John P. McGraw sculpted the front.
2021 Virginia Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel – American Innovation Dollars
Authorizing Legislation: H.R. 770, American Innovation $1 Coin Act
Click here to buy the 2021 Virginia Innovation Dollar on eBay
Dollar Obverse Inscriptions
In God We Trust
$1
Dollar Reverse Inscriptions
United States of America
Virginia
Incused Edge Inscriptions
2021
Mint Mark
E Pluribus Unum
Mint & Dollar Mint Marks
Denver and Philadelphia in Business Strikes
San Francisco in Proof and Reverse Proof Strikes
Available Dollar Mint Strikes
Business, Proof & Reverse Proof
American Innovation Dollar Specifications
Composition: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese and 2% Nickel
Weight: 8.1 grams
Thickness: 2.0mm
Edge: Incused Letter
Diameter: 26.49mm
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