The United States Mint is launching its American Women Quarters (AWQ) Program, a program that circulates coins with backsides showing designs emblematic of the legacy of trailblazing women in America — an initiative made possible by the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020. The late poet, author, and social activist Maya Angelou will be the first woman in the series of coin distributions to be honored.
“Maya Angelou’s writing and activism inspired countless Americans and her legacy helped fuel greater fairness and understanding across our nation,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), who sponsored the bill. “She is exactly the type of leader I had in mind when Senator Fischer, Representative Lee and I wrote our bipartisan legislation to create a series of quarters honoring the contributions of American women. This coin will ensure generations of Americans learn about Maya Angelou’s books and poetry that spoke to the lived experience of Black women.”
Five quarters will be released per year from 2022 through 2025. Others to be honored in 2022 include the first female astronaut Dr. Sally Ride, first Chinese American film star in Hollywood Anna May Wong, New Mexico’s suffrage movement leader Nina Otero-Warren, and first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller.
The honorees were selected based on more than 11,000 recommendations submitted by the general public and stakeholders, Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative, National Women’s History Museum, and the Congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus. Final approval is delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury.
“It is my honor to present our Nation’s first circulating coins dedicated to celebrating American women and their contributions to American history,” said U.S. Mint Deputy Director Ventris C. Gibson. “Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this historic coin program. Maya Angelou, featured on the reverse of this first coin in the series, used words to inspire and uplift.”
Founded in 1792, the U.S. Mint manufactures and distributes collectible coins, national medals, and circulating legal tender coinage for trade and commerce at no cost to the taxpayer. The U.S. Mint has representation in Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and West Point, along with the Fort Knox Bullion Depository. Ventris C. Gibson heads the organization as the headquarters Deputy Director, followed by Deputy Chief Counsel Ralph Conte, Deputy Associate Director of Manufacturing Don Bennett, Deputy Chief Information Officer Brian Senior, and Deputy Chief Financial Officer Kenyatta Fletcher.
The Maya Angelou quarter will be available in local banks in late January and early February.
