1965 Medal USS Mariano G. Vallejo Silver SSBN 658

Coin Details

Description

This 1965 silver medal honors the USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN-658), a Benjamin Franklin-class fleet ballistic missile submarine commissioned on December 16, 1966. Named for Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, the Californian military commander and politician who supported American annexation of California, the submarine carried Poseidon and later Trident I missiles as part of the United States' nuclear deterrent force. Navy ship commissioning medals in silver were typically produced in limited quantities for presentation to officers, crew members, and dignitaries at the commissioning ceremony. Medal collecting has experienced renewed interest in recent decades as numismatists have recognized these pieces as historical artifacts deserving the same scholarly attention given to coins and currency. The 1965 date indicates this medal was struck in anticipation of the submarine's construction and commissioning.

Rarity Notes

Silver submarine commissioning medal. Very limited production for crew and dignitaries. SSBN-658.

Cross References

PCGS #916593; USS Mariano G. Vallejo; SSBN-658; Benjamin Franklin-class submarine