President Grover Cleveland took part in the dedication ceremonies and declared in his address “We will not forget that Liberty has made here her home, nor shall her chosen altar be neglected.” The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was dedicated on Bledsoe’s Island in New York Harbor on October 28, 1886. The fact that more than $165 million was needed to complete the restoration of the sites, however, illustrates how even icons can sometimes suffer from neglect. What fundraising effort could be more worthwhile than one designed to preserve the world’s most iconic symbol of freedom? They are well-designed, were affordable for most collectors at the time of issue, and were sponsored by a group tasked with raising funds for the restoration and preservation of two of America’s most important historical sites: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Among all the modern United States commemorative issues, the coins struck for the Statue of Liberty’s 1986 centennial celebration are quite possibly the most “perfect”.

Us liberty coins 1986 coin set