Honoring the fifth through the eighth Presidents of the United States were the 2008 Presidential $1 Coins struck by the US Mint. Included in the year’s releases are strikes honoring James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

2008 Presidential $1 Coins - Click to Enlarge

The coins were authorized by the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-145) signed into law by President George W. Bush on  December 22, 2005. The 2008 strikes marked the second year for the series which debuted in 2007 and features four coins released annually as part of it. The order of the coins is dictated by the order in which the individuals served in office. Consequently, the fist person honored by a coin in the series was George Washington.

These coins feature a face value of $1 and are struck for general circulation. As such, the coins may be found in your pocket change, albeit relatively unlikely given the public’s limited desire to use dollar coins for everyday commerce. Collectors may prefer the proof quality strikes produced by the US Mint which are included in special annual sets.

The four 2008 Presidential $1 Coins released by the US Mint are shown below:

• James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin – released on February 14, 2008, these coins honor the fifth President of the United States who served from March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825.
• John Quincy Adams Presidential $1 Coin – these strikes honor the sixth former chief executive who was in office from March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829. The Adams coins were released into general circulation on May 15, 2008.
• Andrew Jackson Presidential $1 Coin – honoring the seventh US President who was in the White House from March 4, 1829 – March 4, 1837, these coins entered circulation on August 14, 2008.
• Martin Van Buren Presidential $1 Coin – The US Mint released these strikes on November 13, 2008 to honor the eighth President of the United States. Van Buren served in the office from March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841.

The US Mint also issued a series of First Spouse Gold Coins which honor the spouses of the Presidents. The spouse coins are issued on a schedule tied to their associated President.

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