Rolls and bags of the newest release from the United States Mint become available today at noon ET with the launch of the 2023 Jovita Idar quarter. The coin pays tribute to Idar, a Mexican-American journalist known for empowering Mexican-American women and advocating for quality education for children.
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This quarter is the latest addition to the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™ series. The program started last year with a plan for five releases annually over four years. Each quarter honors an American woman who has made significant contributions to the history and development of the United States.
Jovita Idar was born on September 7, 1885 in Laredo, Texas. She grew up in a family with eight children, all of whom were raised discussing civil rights and political activism. In 1903, she earned her teaching certificate and started teaching. However, she resigned shortly thereafter due to the poor conditions to which her Mexican American students were exposed. She then turned to journalism, where she advocated for education, economic equality for Mexican Americans, and various other social issues of the time.
Jovita Idar Quarter Products
There are three different products available that contain the new 2023 Jovita Idar quarter dollars. They include coins struck at three distinct U.S. Mint facilities: the Philadelphia Mint, the Denver Mint, and the San Francisco Mint. The options include:
- Two-Roll Sets for $40 – containing one roll of 40 quarters from the Philadelphia Mint and one roll of 40 quarters from the Denver Mint
- Three-Roll Sets for $60 – containing three 40 quarter rolls, with one from the Philadelphia Mint, one from the Denver Mint and one from the San Francisco Mint
- 100-Coin Bags for $45 – 100 quarters from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint
The quarters struck at the San Francisco Mint are most sought after by collectors since they are produced solely for numismatic purposes, leading to limited overall mintage. Jovita Idar quarters struck at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints will eventually make their way into your pocket change, as they started entering circulation on Monday, Aug. 14.
Jovita Idar Quarter Designs
A portrait of Jovita Idar with her hands clasped adorns the reverse (tails side) of each new coin.
The inscriptions overlayed over her body represent her causes and her name, including:
- "MEXICAN AMERICAN RIGHTS"
- "TEACHER"
- "JOVITA IDAR"
- "NURSE"
- "EVOLUCIÓN"
- "ASTREA"
- "EL HERALDO CRISTIANO"
- "LA CRUZ BLANCA"
- "JOURNALIST"
- "LA CRÓNICA"
- "EL PROGRESO"
- "LA LIGA FEMENIL MEXICANISTA"
Additionally, legally required inscriptions appear, which include:
- "QUARTER DOLLAR"
- "E PLURIBUS UNUM"
- "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."
The image was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist John P. McGraw.
All quarters of the series contain the same obverse (heads side) portrait of George Washington. The likeness of the first President of the United States was originally created by artist Laura Gardin Fraser to mark Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932.
Obverse inscriptions read "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and "2023."
Quarter Specifications
| Denomination: | Quarter |
| Finish: | Uncirculated |
| Composition: | 8.33% nickel, balance copper |
| Weight: | 5.670 grams |
| Diameter: | 0.955 inch (24.26 mm) |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Mint and Mint Mark: | Philadelphia – P Denver – D San Francisco – S |
| Privy Mark: | None |
Ordering
Jovita Idar quarters may be ordered by visiting the U.S. Mint’s online catalog quarter products.
Two-roll sets have a product limit of 9,140 with an initial household order limit of three. Three-roll set sales are limited to 12,620, also with an initial household order limit of three. Bag options have a product limit of 7,860 with initial household order limits of ten.
U.S. Mint’s Women Quarters Program
Public Law 116-330 authorized the American Women Quarters Program. Strikes of the series debuted in 2022 with designs honoring Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong. 2023 quarters include:
- Bessie Coleman – first African American and first Native American woman licensed pilot (issued February 14th)
- Edith Kanakaʻole – influential Hawaiian composer and custodian of native culture and traditions (debuted March 27th)
- Eleanor Roosevelt – first lady, author, and civil liberties advocate (released June 5)
- Jovita Idar – Mexican-American journalist, activist, teacher, and suffragist (this release)
- Maria Tallchief – America’s first prima ballerina (October 23rd)
These quarters can also be found in additional U.S. Mint products, such as annual sets containing proof quarters (released March 21) and silver quarters (released April 4). They will also be featured in special holiday ornaments, scheduled for release on Aug. 24.
FYI,
For new collectors: this article doesn’t state it, but these quarters are
circulation-quality coins, the same condition as those the Mint strikes to be put in circulation through the 12 Federal Reserve System district banks. These coins offered today are directly from the Mint & are spun around in coin counting machines at the Mint & put into the Mint’s special paper wrappers.
NumisdudeTX
the count shows over 1300 of the 3 roll set are available. earlier sets of 3 rolls sold this year sold out fairly rapidly. either people are losing interests or the design/person is not appealing. I also go with the theory that you can go on E-BAY and see numerous rolls of prior releases for sale, the speculators looking to make a quick buck are no longer purchasing rather than being saddled with left holding them.
they updated the totals, now 519 left, though like you I am surprised there are plenty still available. only 12620 rolls to start with. not a large number, granted we are talking rolls and not individual coins. so a little over 500,000 coins. Last year was limited to 300,000 in total. I suppose someday, (probably after my time) someone will be looking to put together a complete set of the S quarters. And where will they be able to find them? Many will be ‘lost’ somewhere buried in a drawer.
Major D – not sure why, afternoon the figure was 519, then I looked last night and it was 1373. this morning it shows only 234. still a surprise they haven’t sold out. as for the Proof dollars, well, if you remember the old commercial, looks like the Mint mat have to sell them at a discount to the coffee broker Juan Valdez and he will probably sell them to someone else. It really doesn’t look like they will sell out. Maybe Mike and others will buy them out, and sell them is labeled in gem condition and “unavailable as… Read more »
Kaiser,
The Mint appears to be lead by greedy as*holes these days. I’d have continued buying the S Quarters if the were sold as a stand alone item, but no. They way I look at it, the Mint is just saving me some money. I hope my first comment doesn’t get me kicked off the ‘customer that gets the shiniest and nicest coins list!’
Nah. We all know your last name is Mikasa-Mezack
Kaiser & Tom,
I think you are both right about the coin rolls of this AWQ series slower sales situation. I like this particular design a lot.
NumisdudeTX
Kaiser,
I too feel it has a good chance of winning – the best circulation coin category. Jovita Idar would be proud of this tribute.
NumisdudeTX
A blank. Call it evil queen’s mirror mirror on the wall. Perfect timing too as snow white will be played by an albino Latina. I presume
I can think of another coin of the year that was first of its kind that didn’t sell well. Also probably first one to be offered as a bundle due to unsellable. Can ya guess huh huh huh
Literally left holding the bags
They probably figure grandpa won’t live long enough to collect whole series. Maybe if they show bust, it’ll sell better, like nat geo being the Cinemax of porn. Kidding. After seeing all the gold and metal commercials, this hobby obviously meant for only old white rich dudes. Gen x is whatever and millennials and Gen z and Gen beta alphas probably don’t even know what coins looks like. Well Z only because quarters is a drinking game.
Maybe the same canada company that built the obama care website. Or made voting booths in Arizona and Georgia. Or calculated the mpg for diesel VWs
I was FINALLY able to buy a three roll set of this one. I find it the most unusual design of the series so far. I haven’t been able to buy a three roll set until today and maybe the sales will be slow enough that this one will be the lowest mintages of the series (so far). So I’ll see how they look when I get them. I’ve only ordered George Bush presidential dollar rolls to date.
Antonio,
Congrats on that roll set. They are a nice product at a fair price.
NumisdudeTX
I hope so. At $20 a roll, I hope I can recoup it in resale sometime in the future.
I got a 20 oz lemonade at a fair. Cost $10. I had to get 2nd mortgage for the hotdogs. So hope you didn’t pay fair prices
D & C,
Your lemonade & hot dog are long gone down the toilet at the fair you attended, while I still have rolls of AWQ 25-cent coins worth a good premium (the “S” rolls) over the 50-cents each I paid the Mint.
NumisdudeTX
Wrong. Hep c is forever
Major D,
I would open the rolls only if I was going to sell them individually. Since they all will have scratches on them as they are only circulating-quality coins (the lowest quality the Mint strikes), I would want to keep those coins with the least amount of scratches (especially the “S” ones like you mentioned).
NumisdudeTX
Major D,
Exactly…with all that open space around the main design, every small scratch will detract a lot from the grade as the eyes go directly to that first. “Eye appeal” has a lot to do with the grade assigned of course.
NumisdudeTX
Major D,
I have never seen a 70 grade on these type of circulation quality coins offered in rolls by the Mint. They all have scratches on them. And a 70 grade is only given if there are no imperfections seen with a 5x loupe.
NumisdudeTX
Now imagine how serene you’d feel if you never even opened the box they were delivered in. Thanks Schroedenger, now all my coins are ms and pf70 and x
As of this morning, Wednesday August 16, all 4 options of the Jovita Idar quarters are available…no quick sellout of even the 3-roll set!
Many don’t like the design I guess…I like it a lot.
NumisdudeTX
That’s not quite fair if you found a way around the order limit and are going to but whatever is left, you are guaranteed to win that bet!
I’m glad someone bought up the rest of the 3 coin sets, as I too was tempted (I had them in the cart) but just couldn’t rationalise paying double face value for quarters. I’m not in the coin selling game, so what’s the point. Glad they are gone.
SHe’s mister Heat Miser
SHe’s mister sun
SHE’S mister heat blister
SHe’s mister hundred and one
D & C,
I almost forgot that today is Poetry Friday here on this coin blog website. As opposed to Taco Tuesday (which Taco Bell company just won a court case giving them the sole rights to use the term “Taco Tuesday” in their advertising).
NumisdudeTX
That’s the song from one of those 1960s Santa Claus stop motion shows. Great song. But if ya Google heat miser you’ll get the reference