Marking the first releases from the United States Mint this year are new coins celebrating American ingenuity. Debuting today at noon EST are 2023 Ohio American Innovation Dollars showcasing reverse (tails side) designs emblematic of the Underground Railroad.
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The new dollars are available in uncirculated finish in 25-coin rolls or 100-coin bags. Each was produced at either the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia or Denver.
Design for the Ohio Innovation Dollar
A symbolic reorientation of the Underground Railroad graces the dollars’ reverses. The early to mid 1800s "railroad" served as a network for enslaved African Americans to escape to freedom.
"Ohio is proud to have this part of our history on the new $1 dollar coin. Ohio had many stops on the Underground Railroad, and today, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center near the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati tells the story of the flight to freedom," stated Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
"The United States Mint is honored to showcase Ohio’s pivotal role in the Underground Railroad network," commented U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson. "The network of individuals, families, friends, and churches that covertly helped slaves escape to freedom was truly an innovation of human compassion and ingenuity."
Two hands grasped together are the focus of the design. The upper hand appears to be assisting the lower whose wrist is shackled with a fragmenting chain symbolizing the attainment of freedom. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "UNDERGROUND RAILROAD," and "OHIO" inscriptions complete the design.
Coins of the series all bear the same basic obverse image of the Statue of Liberty along with the inscriptions of "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "$1" and a privy mark of a stylized gear, representing industry and innovation.
Edge-incused inscriptions show "2023," the mint mark, and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
American Innovation Coin Program
This dollar is the first of four for 2023 from the Mint’s American Innovation® $1 Coin Program. Upcoming 2023 dollars include the:
- Louisiana $1 Coin – Higgins Boat
- Indiana $1 Coin – Automobile industry
- Mississippi $1 Coin – First human lung transplant
The program itself had a single inaugural release in 2018. Since then, four new strikes have been issued annually with four more scheduled each year through 2032. Upon completed, an innovation from each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories will have been represented.
Ordering
The new dollars are available by visiting the U.S. Mint’s online store for American Innovation products. The 25 coin rolls may be ordered for $34.50 with the 100-coin bags available for $117.50.
Initial household order limits of ten per product have been established.
I have a feeling, one day these coins will go the way of the Franklin Half Dollar. There was a Franklin Half Dollar?
It’s sad. At least the Three Dollar Gold has some popularity.
If any of these dollar coins could be used in vending machines or slot machines, there would be a long life for them. Looks like we chose from the start to make them useless.
And Americans aren’t like Canadians. When Canada introduced a smaller, circulating dollar (the Loon), they retired the one dollar bill. Same when they introduced the two dollar coin, retiring the two dollar bill.
Most people don’t want to carry around larger coins. Or coins which look too much alike, like the quarter and the SBA dollar.
I beg to differ, the Mint shouldn’t have retired the Walking Liberty half dollar. There was no reason for it. The Mint, in a manner, relented by rendering the obverse of the ASE with the obverse design of that half dollar. They should have used the reverse as well. They did that with the Buffalo Gold coin. I think it’s one of the more beautiful gold coins produced by our Mint.
I would agree with you, Antonio. The Native American (Indian) profile on the Buffalo Nickel, later used on the Gold Buffalo, was designed by James Earle Fraser from a combination of three images of Native American Chiefs: Iron Tail (Lakota), Two Moons (Cheyenne) and John Big Tree (Seneca). The buffalo (bison) on the reverse side is a male North American bison which James Earle Fraser always said that the model for his buffalo was Black Diamond, a huge bison from the Bronx Zoo (or was it the Central Park Zoo).
As I recall, at one time it was required a coin design last a minimum 25 years. The Franklin half was only discontinued early because of a special Act to replace it in memory of Kennedy.
I foolishly bought a roll each of the P and D George H.W. Bush dollars. They may be worth something SOME DAY. Like the Howard Taft and Warren Harding dollars.
I did a little research. The Mint Act of Sept 26, 1890 1890 September 26: The Act of September 26, 1890, amends Revised Statute 3510, by authorizing a procedure for new coin designs generally known today as “the 25-year law”. A portion of the legislation states that “no change in the design or die of any coin shall be made oftener that once in twenty-five years from and including the year of the first adoption of the design, model, die, or hub for the same coin.” Another legislative Act, approved the same day, discontinues the three dollar gold, one-dollar gold, and three-cent… Read more »
The Walking Liberty Half Dollar was 1916 – 1947. Apparently, Congress reserves the right to abrogate that Mint Act, or it’s been superseded by a subsequent Act passed by Congress.
It was not ’25 years and done’ but rather at least 25 years, so the Walking Half met that. Without researching further the mint simply appears to have decided to issue special commemorative series, I think to match what other countries do, hence the quarter series, the special pennies and nickels, etc. e.g. Canada did a Province series in 1992 on the quarter.
The education system up north is lacking. It’s not an underground railroad, it’s a subway. Even new Yorkers got that right.
This National Geographic article doesn’t even imply railroad or subway this is just the first paragraph, read on at the website During the era of slavery, the Underground Railroad was a network of routes, places, and people that helped enslaved people in the American South escape to the North. The name “Underground Railroad” was used metaphorically, not literally. It was not an actual railroad, but it served the same purpose—it transported people long distances. It also did not run underground, but through homes, barns, churches, and businesses. The people who worked for the Underground Railroad had a passion for justice and drive to end the practice of slavery—a… Read more »
Was doing an edit but timed out before you replied. I’m fully aware of history. And I realize that perspective changes based on where it is taught. Luckily I’ve lived in many states and attended many schools and have worked with people from all over to get different insight. But below is the edited version I was working on while you were commenting. The education system up north is lacking. It’s not an underground railroad, it’s a subway. Even New Yorkers got that right. Here come the encyclopedias foaming at the mouth to point out that new York is in… Read more »
Reminds me of The Terminator, “Get out of my way!”
Thank you very much for this clarification. I’ve always felt it’s that way myself.
Hi
Sorry to discuss AWQ 3 roll sets but you can adjust your subscription limit (1 to 3) at this time, right now, if you have an enrollment. Good luck, we are coin collectors and I hope this helps.
Received the innovation rolls today, fastest I ever received a mint item.
oooohhhh. Can I run down and get then graded ‘early release’ and try and sell them for 10 times their actual worth?
You’re free to do so. That’s what the “preferred” dealers are doing as we write.
let’s see. you can get from the Mint for 34.50 (and free shipping if you subscribe, or get from e-bay for over $50 plus shipping. I like the one charging 59.12 which is a 7% discount off the reg price. way to go.
yesterday 386 25 coin roll (P), today 251, so those appear to be going somewhat fast.
The United States Mint Announced the 2024 American Women Quarters™ Program Honorees today. They are Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color to serve in Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War era surgeon, women’s rights advocate, and an abolitionist; Pauli Murray, a poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest, as well as a staunch advocate for civil rights, fighting against racial and sex discrimination, and a founder of NOW; Zitkala-Ša (meaning “Red Bird”), also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, a writer, composer, educator, and political activist for Native Americans’ right to United States citizenship and other civil rights; and… Read more »
We’ll have to wait to see what they look like later this year. I think the last one issued this year looks interesting, different from what we’re used to for sure.
For example.
Do you think some kid at the cash register will know what to do with it? I’ve gotten the reaction, “Is it real?”, when I gave a half dollar or dollar coin to pay for my merchandise.
Like with a record player or typewriter.