Description
USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) was a United States Coast Guard heavy icebreaker. Commissioned on 23 February 1978, the ship was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company of Seattle along with her sister ship, Polar Star (WAGB-10). Her home port was Seattle, Washington.
On 11 February 1981, Polar Sea made history when she became the first ship ever to reach Point Barrow, Alaska in the middle of winter. She is also just one of only three ships that has ever completely transited the Arctic Ocean and circumnavigated North America. On 22 August 1994, Polar Sea was one of the first two North American surface vessels to reach the North Pole; she sailed together with CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.
Polar Sea has been out of service as of 2010 due to failure of five of her six Alcomain diesel engines. Between 2010 and 2023, the Polar Sea has been used as a parts donor for sister ship the Polar Star (WAGB-10). In 2021, Polar Sea‘s presence at her pier at USCG Station Seattle became increasingly inconvenient because she was blocking local Coast Guard civil engineering projects. Polar Sea was first towed to Mare Island Drydock in Vallejo, California to scrub marine growth from her hull, and then to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet at Benicia, California. In order to allow Polar Sea to pass under a railroad bridge en route to the Fleet, her mast was cut off just above the aloft conning station and tied down to the icebreaker’s flight deck. Polar Sea entered the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet on October 6, 2024.
Minted with an antique patina finish, this coin pays tribute to the USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) and salutes the exceptional service of her crew. The obverse contains a starboard view of the USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB 11) with the words: “AMERICA’S FIRST SURFACE SHIP TO REACH THE NORTH POLE AND TO CROSS THE ARTIC OCEAN” with the location “SEATTLE , WA” underneath. The reverse displays the logo of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Each coin measures 1.75 inch (44mm) in diameter.
