Today, Dec. 20, the United States Mint unveiled images of the 2023 American Innovation dollars honoring innovations from the states of Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi.
On Jan. 30, the U.S. Mint will release their first products containing one of the four $1 coins — rolls and bags of Ohio dollars. Other Innovation products will follow in the spring, summer and fall.
Introduced in 2018, the multi-year series of dollars offers reverse designs that recognize America’s ingenuity by highlighting pioneering efforts of individuals or groups from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. (Learn more about the U.S. Mint program.)
U.S. Mint-published images and design descriptions of the four dollars follow.
2023 Ohio American Innovation Dollar
Designer: Beth Zaiken, Artistic Infusion Program
Sculptor: Stephen Layne, Medallic Artist
The Ohio $1 Coin design depicts two strong hands grasped together, the upper arm pulling the lower arm upward, representing the support and strength required by both parties on the Underground Railroad. A chain fastened to a rustic shackle around the lower arm’s wrist snaps and fragments, alluding to the hope of freedom. The inscriptions are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "UNDERGROUND RAILROAD," and "OHIO."
2023 Louisiana American Innovation Dollar
Designer: Dennis Friel, Artistic Infusion Program
Sculptor: John P. McGraw, Medallic Artist
The Louisiana $1 Coin design depicts a Higgins Boat as it would have been deployed during World War II, with its innovative landing ramp open against a beach. Included inscriptions are "UNITED STATES of AMERICA," "THE HIGGINS BOAT," and "LOUISIANA."
2023 Indiana American Innovation Dollar
Designer: Ron Sanders, Artistic Infusion Program
Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist
The Indiana $1 Coin design features a series of vehicles that showcase Indiana innovations from yesterday and today. From top to bottom, the design includes an early style gas automobile, a representation of classic car production, and a recent model of an Indy style race car. Inscriptions are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "INDIANA."
2023 Mississippi American Innovation Dollar
Designer: Katelyn Arquette, Artistic Infusion Program
Sculptor: Craig A. Campbell, Medallic Artist
The Mississippi $1 Coin design features a pair of human lungs in the background, while a surgical assistant passes forceps to the surgeon during the first lung transplant surgery. Inscriptions are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "FIRST HUMAN LUNG TRANSPLANT," and "MISSISSIPPI."
Common Obverse Design with Varying Privy Marks
Designed by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill, major obverse (heads side) elements are common across every $1 coin in the series. They offer a depiction of the Statue of Liberty in profile along with inscriptions "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "$1."
Excluding the introductory 2018 dollar, obverses also bear a privy mark of a stylized gear which represents industry and innovation. The gear’s depiction changes slightly every year.
Incused Edge Inscriptions
Edges of all $1 coins are incused with their year of minting, a mint mark representing where they are produced, and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
Dollars Not Released into Circulation
Dollar coins have not been issued into circulation since 2011. The U.S. Mint manufactures them solely for numismatic products.
Finally the Higgins Boat is recognized. Took them long enough.
There’s an interesting story behind that.
ohio had a sizable abolitionist population that was more willing to help out the escaping slaves (unlike other states, who tended to have more passive citizens), so it wound up with a larger network than other states. I don’t think it was the ‘first’ state to have it however, though there is really no way to know that for sure (it being ‘underground’ it wasn’t exactly documented very mch)
yes I have noticed that also. sure there are the clearly defined inventions like airplanes and telephones you can tie to a specific state because of the development being done by a small group of people. I have a harder time with inventions/innovations that are large in nature and unlikely to be developed primarily in one state, such as maryland’s space telescope claim. But the ones I really dislike are ones that aren’t even really innovations at all, like new york’s canal boat coin – give me a break those boats are copies of what has been running around canals… Read more »