The Prime Minister said the coins are a small token of the nation’s “enormous gratitude” to them for making the games possible.
All volunteers who gave up their time to help the Olympic effort are already getting souvenir batons. However, troops and police will get additional presents, after many had to step in at the last moment to bolster the Olympic security team.
Many had to cancel holidays, after G4S, which was contracted to provide staff, failed to get enough guards trained in time.
In the end, more than 18,000 members of the armed forces contributed to guarding the games.
Mr Cameron said the Olympics would not have been possible without the help of the extra security teams from armed forces and police.
The Olympics were the “biggest peacetime security operation this country has ever seen”, he said.
“These people not only gave up their time, but brought a phenomenal energy and passion to the streets and to Olympic venues up and down the country,” he said. “The volunteers, members of the armed forces, police and others who worked on the Games are the ones who made them possible.
The Government is now considering whether to award to coins to members of the fire brigade and ambulance services, who also did extra work during the Olympic Games.
Photo: John Stillwell/PA