As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, The Real Liberty Copper Project honors a legacy of freedom by bringing the Statue of Liberty to life.
STRUCTURE & PURPOSE
The Real Liberty Copper Artifact
The Real Liberty Copper Artifact is a museum grade collectible coin created from copper preserved during the 1986 restoration of the Statue of Liberty. Each artifact is individually struck and serialized, ensuring authenticity, traceability, and its place within the historic Liberty series.
The Real Liberty Copper artifacts originate from copper preserved during the 1986 restoration of the Statue of Liberty, one of the most significant preservation efforts in American history. That copper was carefully stewarded as a cultural artifact and today forms the foundation of the Real Liberty Copper project.
Through refining and minting by Metal Alchemist in Rhode Island, the preserved copper becomes a limited series of Liberty artifacts physically tied to that historic restoration. Each artifact is authenticated, serialized, and traceable, ensuring genuine Liberty restoration copper while preserving both historical integrity and collectible value.
The Real Liberty Copper coin is minted with eight sides which symbolize stability and balance. The face of the coin features Liberty gazing to the heavens, encircled by fifty stars representing the states united and guided by liberty. Her torch rests at her heart, symbolizing that liberty lives within each of us. Her headband honors the labor, effort, and sacrifice required to keep liberty alive.
Thirteen rays represent the birthplace of the republic where the founding fathers built their vision for a land of Liberty, freedom, and justice for all.
On the reverse side, the phrase “We the People” appears in the iconic script of the Declaration of Independence. It is framed by a laurel wreath, a traditional symbol of a sovereign’s crown, symbolizing that in the United States, the people hold the ultimate power.
Behind the design, the unfurled American flag depicts the unity of the United States and its enduring symbol to the world.
The American Liberty Congress convenes annually at The Belcourt of Newport and is funded entirely by the Liberty Copper Artifact program. This nonpartisan, constitutionally focused gathering examines the state of freedoms and liberties across the United States at both the state and federal levels. It is designed to be empowering, clarifying, and informative, producing carefully researched and documented findings that are released publicly as a report to be shared with the world. The Congress represents a continuation of the work of liberty, upholding the ideals symbolized by the Statue of Liberty and examining the living condition of freedom in America.
Belcourt of Newport
The Belcourt of Newport, along with the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, was designed by renowned American architect Richard Morris Hunt, linking the two landmarks through a shared architectural legacy. Belcourt has long stood as a cultural supporter of liberty, and today it operates as a museum and is the permanent home of the Real Liberty Copper artifacts and the broader Liberty artifact collection. The historic property also hosts the Newport Global Economic Summit and the American Liberty Congress, bringing together leaders, thinkers, and innovators in a setting that honors the enduring ideals of freedom and American liberty.
Rhode Island Manufacturing
Pride in American manufacturing is the cornerstone of every project Carolyn Rafaelian undertakes. Rhode Island’s handcrafted excellence is unmatched, and to manufacture here is to honor America’s 250th anniversary. The craftsmanship of Rhode Island jewelry making, rooted in generations of artisans and handmade production, is recognized as among the finest in the world. Manufacturing the Liberty artifacts in Rhode Island celebrates this legacy and reflects a deep pride in American craftsmanship.
Forged in America. Built in Rhode Island.
Alchemist Mint
Alchemist Mint is a vertically integrated precious metals operation based in Warwick, Rhode Island — part of the National Chain Company campus, one of the world's finest precious metals fabricators, with 500,000 square feet of total manufacturing space and 112 years of combined manufacturing experience across its acquired divisions.
Born from a strategic partnership and a joint multi-million-dollar investment in advanced machinery, Alchemist Mint brings together high-precision coining, die striking, chain-making, and full-spectrum precious metals production — from melted metal to finished product — under one roof, in the heart of Rhode Island's legendary Jewelry Capital.
Its inaugural release, the Real Liberty Copper coin, marks the beginning of a platform dedicated to meaningful, American-crafted collectibles — limited-edition works that blend art, purpose, and humanitarian impact, with substantial giveback directed to foundations and organizations moving the needle for good in the world.
