1992-S “Nolan Ryan” Olympic Silver Dollar Proof

Does This 1992 Olympic Commemorative Silver Dollar Actually Feature Nolan Ryan?

When this 1992 U.S. Mint Olympic 90% Silver Dollar Proof was released, a hot controversy exploded. You see, it’s prohibited by U.S. law to depict a living person on a U.S. coin, and the image on this baseball-themed silver dollar bore an uncanny resemblance to none other than The Ryan Express—All-Star Major League Baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan—who was very much alive in 1992, pitching for the Texas Rangers in his next-to-last season in the big leagues.

Controversy Surrounds “Nolan Ryan” Coin

While officials at the U.S. Mint denied that it was Ryan, eagle-eyed fans claimed it look almost exactly like Ryan’s 1991 Fleer baseball card. The coin’s designer, John R. Deecken, said the player depicted was a composite of a number of players, including Ryan. Collectors of both coins and baseball cards were not convinced. The resulting controversy made these commemorative silver dollars an instant collectible and they’re hard to find today.

Superbly Struck At The San Francisco Mint

Was the Mint lazy? Did officials not do enough due diligence on checking source material? Were there a few Nolan Ryan fans at the Mint? Whatever the case, the Mint couldn’t have had a better living baseball player appear on the coin at that time than Baseball’s all-time strikeout king Nolan Ryan. Each proof coin was superbly struck at the San Francisco Mint and shows shimmering proof surfaces and frosty designs and intricate details.

Don’t strike out—step up to the plate and get yours now!

COIN HIGHLIGHTS:

• CONTROVERSIAL “NOLAN RYAN” DESIGN – According to the U.S. Mint, the design by John R. Deecken was simply of a pitcher firing a fastball. But for eagle-eyed fans of Major League Baseball, the design looked exactly like Nolan Ryan. Since living people were not to be represented on coins, the release created a controversy and made the coin an instant collectible. The reverse by sculptor Marcel Jovine, combines the Olympic rings, olive branches, and stars and stripes with a bold USA.
• STRUCK IN GLEAMING SILVER – the 1992 XXV Olympiad “Nolan Ryan” Silver Dollar was struck in one ounce of 90% fine silver.
• LEGAL-TENDER UNITED STATES COMMEMORATIVE – These XXV Olympiad “Nolan Ryan” silver commemoratives are $1 legal tender in the United States.
• GORGEOUS PROOF CONDITION – Your 1992 XXV Olympiad “Nolan Ryan” Silver Dollar will come in gorgeous proof condition, meaning it was expertly crafted by the mint from hand-selected planchets, polished dies and multiple strikes to produce beautifully frosted details rising over mirror-like fields.
• SMALL LIMITED EDITION – The San Francisco Mint struck just 504,505 of these 1992 XXV Olympiad “Nolan Ryan” Silver Dollar Proofs.

The U.S. Mint claims the controversial 1992-S “Nolan Ryan” Olympic Silver Dollar Commemorative Proof does not depict Nolan Ryan. Collectors say it looks like his 1991 Fleer baseball card. Get one for yourself and you be the judge!