Today, July 17, 2014, the United States Mint started accepting orders for proof and uncirculated Grace Coolidge First Spouse Gold Coins.
Designs on the $10 gold pieces honor Grace, wife of the 30th President of the United States, Calvin Coolidge.
All First Spouse Gold Coins are produced at the United States Mint facility in West Point with each struck in one-half troy ounce of .9999 fine gold. The series debuted in 2007 and honors the spouses of the former Presidents of the United States. This year’s issues include:
- Florence Harding First Spouse Gold Coins (released July 10)
- Grace Coolidge First Spouse Gold Coins (released today)
- Lou Hoover First Spouse Gold Coins (on-sale date yet to be determined)
- Anna Eleanor Roosevelt Gold Coins (on-sale date yet to be determined)
Designs of Grace Coolidge First Spouse Gold Coins
For this Grace Coolidge release, two designs won out among eleven candidate designs that included six obverses and five reverses.
The selected obverse design shows a portrait of the former First Lady by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Joel Iskowitz. It was executed by sculptor-engraver Phebe Hemphill. Inscriptions around the design include GRACE COOLIDGE, IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, 2014, 30th and 1923 – 1929.
Reverse are reserved for designs emblematic of the life of the spouse. For the Coolidge reverse, there are three hands finger-spelling the letters USA in American Sign Language with the White House in the background. This image is the work of AIP artist Frank Morris with sculpting by sculptor-engraver Jim Licaretz.
Inscriptions around the scene read: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, $10, 1/2 OZ., and.9999 FINE GOLD.
Prices, Mintages and Ordering
Grace Coolidge gold coin opening prices are $865.00 for the proof and $845.00 for the uncirculated. These are subject to change based on U.S. Mint policy that ties prices of numismatic gold coins to a weekly average of the London gold Fix. Current prices are based on a gold average that is within the $1,300.00 to $1,349.99 range.
As with past releases, a mintage limit of 10,000 is in place across all product options. Final proof and uncirculated mintages are determined by customer demand and early sales will determine if all 10,000 are actually produced.
2014 Grace Coolidge First Spouse Gold Coins may be purchased directly from the United States Mint via its online catalog located here. Orders are also accepted by telephone at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
First Spouse Gold Coins are encapsulated and ship in a highly polished, dome-chested, lacquered hardwood presentation case. A certificate of authenticity is also included.
Grace Coolidge Bronze Medals
Grace Coolidge bronze medals are also produced by the United States Mint with the same basic designs as found on the associated gold coins. The medals, however, are not sold individually and are only offered as part of two different sets.
The Calvin Coolidge $1 Coin and Grace Coolidge First Spouse Medal Set will include one of these medals along with a Calvin Coolidge Presidential $1 Coin. The medal will also be available as part of the 2014 First Spouse Medal Set. It includes bronze medal replicas of all four 2014 First Spouse Gold Coins. Release dates for the two sets are yet to be determined.
About Grace Coolidge
Grace Coolidge was born Grace Goodhue on January 3, 1879 in Burlington,Vermont. She was the only child of Captain Andrew Isaachar Goodhue and Lemira Barrett Goodhue.
Grace received a formal education including instruction at the University of Vermont and training at the Clarke Institute for the Deaf. This training led to a job of three years teaching deaf children at the school.
On October 4, 1905, she married Calvin Coolidge who would eventually become the 30th U.S. President.
Harding and BHOF silver received today. The BHOF silver was ordered way back in March. Still no certainty about the BHOF gold. Still showing backorder status.
If no BHOF, will spedthe same money on another Florence or two instead.