2. This exhibit will explore the history of women on US
coinage, both historical and allegorical figures, and
both circulating and non-circulating coinage. It will
also explore the American Women Quarters
Program, a current coin program that celebrates the
achievements of American women.
3. ”Pocket Monuments”
Our physical currency, especially coinage, has been taken for granted
for quite some time. Most people don’t think too much about the
figures on currency, but these figures are everyday reminders of
public history. Our physical currency has been described as a “pocket
monument.” Monuments are used to commemorate a figure or an
event. Coinage serves the same purpose as a monument but does so
on a much broader scale and on a daily bias. What story do the
current figures on our currency tell? They only tell the story of white
men, leaving out all the other people, women, and people of color who
contributed to the history of this country.
4. Historical Women on Non-Circulating Coins
Non-circulating coins are coins that are
technically legal tender but are not intended for
circulation. The first historical woman to be
featured on US coinage was on the 1893 Queen
Isabella commemorative quarter. While there are
quite a few non-circulating coins that feature
historical women, they are not widely available
and are not part of everyday transactions. This
makes it difficult for these coins to be “Pocket
Monuments.”
Queen Isabella
Quarter Dollar 1893
Credit: US Mint
Christa McAuliffe
Silver Dollar 2021
Credit: US Mint
Frances
Cleveland First
Spouse Gold
Coin 2012 Credit:
US Mint
5. The Allegorical Figure of Liberty
Winged Liberty
Head Dime
1916-1945
Credit: Gemma
Koester-Jess
Coronet large
Cent 1816-
1839 Credit:
Gemma
Koester-Jess
Before the figures we know today every coin
featured an allegorical figure of Lady Liberty.
Lady Liberty was depicted on coinage from the
creation of the US Mint in 1792 and starting in
1857 through 1947 the designs changed to
portraits of historical men. While these coins
featured women, they were not real women,
meaning they were not “Pocket Monuments” as
they did not tell the history of a figure.
6. Standing Liberty
Quarter 1916-1930
Credit: Gemma
Koester-Jess
Liberty Walking Half-
Dollar 1916-1947
Credit: Gemma
Koester-Jess
Seated Liberty Dollar
1836-1873
Credit: Professional
Coin Grading Service
7. Before the American Women Quarters
Program only three historical women
were featured on circulating coinage.
While these coins are meant to celebrate
these women have some glaring issues.
These coins are not very likely to be seen
by many people as dollar coins are the
least circulating coins, and the Alabama
quarter is one of 50 possible coins.
Susan B. Anthony
Dollar 1979-1981 &
1999 Credit: Gemma
Koester-Jess
Sacagawea Dollar 2000-
2001 & 2009-2011
Credit: Gemma Koester-
Jess
Alabama State Quarter
2003 Credit: US Mint
Historical Women on Circulating Coins
8. American Women Quarters Program
The American Women Quarters Program
was introduced as a way to remedy the
lack of representation of women and
people of color on US coinage. It seeks to
celebrate the accomplishments and
contributions of American women. The
program will run from 2022-2025. Five
quarters will be released each year for a
total of twenty quarters.
2022 American
Women Quarters
Credit: US Mint
9. Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was a poet,
scholar, activist, author, singer, and dancer.
She wrote more than 30 bestselling books.
The design of the coin is a reference to
Angelou’s poems “Still I rise” and “I Know
Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Maya Angelou
was the first black woman to be featured on
a quarter. It was released in January 2022.
Maya Angelou
Quarter 2022
Credit: US Mint
10. Sally Ride
Dr. Sally Ride (1951-2012) was the first
American woman in space. She worked as a
physics professor and was the Director of the
California Space Science Institute. The design of
the quarter sees Ride looking out the window
of the spaceship at the earth below her, a
reference to a quote from Dr. Ride. Dr. Sally
Ride was the first known LGTBQ+ person on a
quarter. This quarter was released in March of
2022.
Sally Ride
Quarter 2022
Credit: US Mint
11. Wilma Mankiller
Wilma Mankiller (1945-2010) was the first
female Principal Chief of the Cherokee
Nation. She was a Native American activist.
The design of the coin shows Mankiller
beside the seven pointed star of the
Cherokee nation. The name of the Cherokee
nation is written in Cherokee syllabary. This
quarter was released in June of 2022.
Wilma
Mankiller
Quarter 2022
Credit: US Mint
12. Nina Otero-Warren
Nina Otero-Warren (1881-1965) was the first
Hispanic woman to run for a seat in the House
of Representatives and was a suffrage activist.
The design of the coin features the words
“Voto Para La Mujer” (Votes for women). It also
features three Yucca flowers, the state flower
of New Mexico. She is the first Hispanic
American to be featured on US currency. The
quarter was released in August 2022.
Nina Otero-
Warren
Quarter 2022
Credit: US Mint
13. Anna May Wong
Anna May Wong (1905-1961) is considered
the first Chinese American Hollywood star.
She acted in silent films, on television, and on
stage. The design of the quarter was meant
to resemble marquee lights, a reference to
her movie career. She is the first Asian
American to be featured on US coinage. The
quarter was released in October 2022 and
was the last of the 2022 quarters.
Anna May
Wong
Quarter 2022
Credit: US Mint
14. Images
Koester-Jess, Gemma. Coronet Large Cent 1816-1839. November 2022.
———. Liberty Walking Half-Dollar 1916-1947. November 2022.
———. Sacagawea Dollar 2000-2001 & 2009-2011. November 2022.
———. Standing Liberty Quarter 1916-1930. November 2022.
———. Susan B. Anthony Dollar 1979-1981 & 1999. November 2022.
———. Winged Liberty Head Dime 1916–1945. November 2022.
———. Winged Liberty Head Dime 1916–1945. November 2022.
Professional Coin Grading Service. 1865 $1 (Regular Strike). 2008. PCGS. https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1865-1/6955.
US Mint. 1893 Queen Isabella Commemorative Silver Quarter Dollar Coin Obverse. 2012. US Mint.
https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-programs/commemorative-coins/queen-isabella-quarter..
———. 2003 50 State Quarters Coin Alabama Uncirculated Reverse. 2016. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
programs/50-state-quarters/alabama.
———. 2012 First Spouse Gold Coin Frances Cleveland First Term Proof Obverse. 2016. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-
medal-programs/first-spouse-gold-coins/frances-cleveland.
———. 2021 Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin Proof Obverse. 2020. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
programs/commemorative-coins/christa-mcauliffe.
———. 2022 American Women Quarters. 2022. CoinNews.net. https://www.coinnews.net/2022/01/28/2022-american-women-
quarter-images-and-release-dates/.
———. 2022 American Women Quarters Coin Anna May Wong. 2022. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
programs/american-women-quarters/anna-may-wong.
———. 2022 American Women Quarters Coin Dr. Sally Ride. 2021. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
programs/american-women-quarters/sally-ride.
———. 2022 American Women Quarters Coin Maya Angelou. 2021. US Mint. https://www.usmint.gov/coins/coin-medal-
15. Bibliography
Kingsberry, Janay. “U.S. Quarters Will Feature 5 New Women. What Happened to Other Plans to Change Currency?” Washington
Post, January 12, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/01/12/women-on-quarters-criticism/.
Kitsch, Sara R. “Minting Public Memory: Substitution Logics and Gendered Commemoration in the First Spouse Coin.” Women’s
Studies in Communication 40, no. 4 (October 2, 2017): 419–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/07491409.2017.1373717.
Lee, Barbara. Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, Pub. L. No. 116-330 (2021).
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1923.
McCarty, Keeley. “"Flip the Coin to the Fed: A Comment on the Dysfunctional Relationship among the Federal Reserve System,
Congress, and the United States Mint.” Administrative Law Review 64, no. 1 (2012): 315–36.
Muzdakis, Madeleine. “Maya Angelou Is the First Black Woman on a U.S. Quarter Coin.” My Modern Met, January 13, 2022.
https://mymodernmet.com/maya-angelou-quarter/.
Squires, Catherine R., and Aisha Upton. “The Color of Money or How to Redesign a ‘Monument in Your Pocket.’” Humanity &
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US Mint. “2022 American Women Quarters Program Coins | U.S. Mint.” www.usmint.gov, October 6, 2021.
https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-announces-designs-for-2022-american-women-
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———. “2023 American Women QuartersTM Program Honorees Announced | U.S. Mint.” www.usmint.gov, March 30, 2022.
https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-announces-2023-american-women-quarters-program-
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———. “American Women Quarters Program.” www.usmint.gov, June 16, 2022. https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-
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———. “History of U.S. Circulating Coins.” Usmint.gov, 2018. https://www.usmint.gov/learn/history/us-circulating-coins.
