Named for the father of the American Navy, the USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) is the third ship in the Navy's Areleigh-Burke Class of Guided Missile Destroyers.

Stretching 505-feet from bow to stern and measuring 67-feet across, the USS John Paul Jones is a nimble, but powerful warship with close-in strike and defensive capabilities.

Like the other ships in its class, the John Paul Jones is equipped with a full complement of modern weaponry and is designed to conduct simultaneous operations against land, air, surface, and subsurface targets. Since receiving her commission in 1993, the USS John Paul Jones and her crew have played a major role in defending America's interests around the world, including during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This coin honors the USS John Paul Jones and salutes all the courageous men and women who have served this ship. The obverse features a detailed rendering of the USS John Paul Jones. The reverse bears the ship's seal with the Captain Jones' famous phrase: "I have not yet begun to fight." Minted in a brass alloy and brushed with an antique bronze finish, this coin was struck using special "splash" dies for exceptionally deep relief.