2000 Medal Navajo Code Talkers Yellow Bronze 76mm

Coin Details

Description

This 76mm yellow bronze medal honoring the Navajo Code Talkers represents a compositional variant of the large-format tribute medal, with the yellow bronze alloy producing a distinctly warmer, more golden tone compared to standard bronze. Yellow bronze, with its higher zinc content relative to standard copper-tin bronze, was used by the U.S. Mint for certain medal programs to offer collectors a visually distinct alternative while maintaining the large 76mm format appropriate to the significance of the subject. The obverse carries the same design honoring the Navajo Code Talkers that appears on the standard bronze version, but the yellow bronze composition imparts a different aesthetic character to the medal. The Navajo Code Talkers' story encompasses not only their wartime heroism but also the ironic juxtaposition of Native Americans defending a nation that had historically sought to suppress the very languages that proved so valuable in combat. The Navajo language had been actively discouraged in government-run boarding schools, yet it became one of America's most effective weapons in the Pacific War. The reverse carries commemorative inscriptions consistent with the Code Talkers medal program. The yellow bronze variant reflects the Mint's practice of offering medals in multiple compositions to serve different collector preferences. The 76mm diameter ensures this version provides the same detailed artistic treatment as other large-format versions, with the yellow bronze alloy adding its own distinctive warmth to the tribute.

Rarity Notes

Yellow bronze variant, 76mm. Compositional variant of the Navajo Code Talkers medal. Visually distinct from standard bronze.

Cross References

PCGS #508460; Navajo Code Talkers Yellow Bronze 76mm; Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2000