Washington, DC, Aug. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States Mint (Mint) 2023 American Women Quarters Ornaments™ will be available for purchase on August 24 at noon EDT. The American Women Quarters™ Program is a four-year program that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women who have shaped our Nation’s history and paved the way for the generations who followed. Each ornament includes a 2023 American Women Quarters with an uncirculated finish. The 2023 quarters honor:
- Bessie Coleman – advocate and groundbreaking African American and Native American woman aviator, and. first African American to earn an international pilot’s license
- Edith Kanakaʻole – indigenous Hawaiian composer, chanter, kumu hula, and custodian of native culture, traditions, and natural land
- Eleanor Roosevelt– leader, reformer, first lady, and author, instrumental in the passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Jovita Idar – Mexican-American journalist, activist, teacher, community organizer, champion of bi-lingual education, and suffragist
- Maria Tallchief – America’s first major prima ballerina who as a Native American dancer broke barriers both on and off the stage
The ornaments are sold individually, not in bulk:
- Priced at $35, 2023 American Women Quarters Ornament™ - Bessie Coleman minted in Philadelphia (product code 23WO1).
- Priced at $35, 2023 American Women Quarters Ornament™ - Edith Kanakaʻole minted in Philadelphia (product code 23WO2).
- Priced at $35, 2023 American Women Quarters Ornament™ - Eleanor Roosevelt minted in Philadelphia (product code 23WO3).
- Priced at $35, 2023 American Women Quarters Ornament™ - Jovita Idar minted in Philadelphia, (product code 23WO4).
- Priced at $35, 2023 American Women Quarters Ornament™ - Maria Tallchief minted in Philadelphia (product code 23WO5).
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Bessie Coleman:
The design depicts Bessie Coleman as she suits up in preparation for flight, her expression reflective of her determination to take to the skies, the only place she experienced a freedom she did not have on the ground. The inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “BESSIE COLEMAN,” and “6.15.1921,” the date Coleman received her pilot’s license.
United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Chris Costello created the Bessie Coleman quarter reverse design, which United States Mint Medallic Artist Eric David Custer sculpted.
Edith Kanakaʻole:
The design features a depiction of Edith Kanakaʻole, with her hair and lei poʻo (head lei) morphing into the elements of a Hawaiian landscape, symbolizing Kanakaʻole’s life’s work of preserving the natural land and traditional Hawaiian culture. The inscription “E hō mai ka ʻike” translates as “granting the wisdom,” and is a reference to the intertwined role hula and chants play in this preservation. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “25¢,” and “EDITH KANAKAʻOLE.”
United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Emily Damstra created the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter reverse design, which United States Mint Medallic Artist Renata Gordon sculpted.
Eleanor Roosevelt:
The design depicts Eleanor Roosevelt and the scales of justice against a backdrop representing the globe, symbolic of her impactful work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The inscriptions are “UNITED STATES of AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,” and “UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.”
United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Don Everhart created the Eleanor Roosevelt quarter reverse design, which United States Mint Medallic Artist Craig Campbell sculpted.
Jovita Idar:
The design features a depiction of Jovita Idar with her hands clasped. Within her body are inscriptions representing some of her greatest accomplishments and the newspapers for which she wrote. The text includes the inscriptions “MEXICAN AMERICAN RIGHTS,” “TEACHER,” “JOVITA IDAR,” “NURSE,” “EVOLUCIÓN,” “ASTREA,” “EL HERALDO CRISTIANO,” “LA CRUZ BLANCA,” “JOURNALIST,” “LA CRÓNICA,” “EL PROGRESO,” and “LA LIGA FEMENIL MEXICANISTA,” as well as “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
United States Mint Medallic Artist John P. McGraw designed and sculpted the Jovita quarter reverse design.
Maria Tallchief:
The coin design depicts Maria Tallchief spot lit in balletic pose, and her Osage name, which translates to “Two Standards,” written in Osage orthography. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” and “MARIA TALLCHIEF.”
United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Benjamin Sowards created the Maria Tallchief quarter reverse design, which United States Mint Medallic Chief Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted.
Each coin in this series features a common obverse (heads) design depicting a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2023.”
Each ornament not only features the reverse (tails side) of the honoree’s uncirculated quarter from the Philadelphia Mint, but also is exquisitely designed and hand-crafted in solid brass with a rhodium finish and includes intricate elements specific to each honoree. Attached on top of each ornament is a matching ribbon for ease of display. Included in the box is a certificate of authenticity signed by the Mint Director along with an explanation of the ornament’s design elements and a brief biography of the honoree.
These one-of-a-kind ornaments are beautifully protected by matching packaging with the honorees name, the year, and the American Woman Quarters logo embossed on the top of the box.
Products in the American Women Quarters Program may also be purchased through the Mint’s Product Subscription Page. After signing up, you will receive the next product released in the series and continue to receive products until you end your subscription. Visit our Subscription Page to learn more.
Discover and share their stories and inspire women everywhere. Shop the American Women Quarters Program today and collect this historic series that honors extraordinary women and celebrate their achievements, triumphs, and legacies.
About the United States Mint
Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept nor honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of August 24, 2023 at noon EDT.
Please use the United States Mint catalog site at https://catalog.usmint.gov/ as your primary source of the most current information on product and service status or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
- Visit https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-women-quarters for additional information about the American Women Quarters Program.
- Visit https://www.usmint.gov/news/image-library/american-women-quarters-program for images of the 2023 American Women Quarters.
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