Today, the United States Mint began shipping 2024 Celia Cruz quarters to Federal Reserve Banks and their coin terminals for distribution into circulation. This coin is the fourth of five distinct quarter designs for this year and the fourteen overall in the U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters™ Program.
At the onset of the four-year series in 2022, the trailblazers honored were Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong. Quarters for 2023 extended the celebration of the accomplishments and contributions made by American women by honoring Bessie Coleman, Edith Kanakaʻole, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idar, and Maria Tallchief. Quarters for 2024 pay tribute to Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, Patsy Takemoto Mink, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, Celia Cruz, and Zitkala-Ša.
Celia Cruz, internationally recognized as "The Queen of Salsa," was a Cuban-American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century.
"Celia Cruz’s influence reached well beyond her music. She was proud of and celebrated her Cuban culture, which empowered Afro-Latino Americans in embracing their heritage, making her an important and enduring cultural icon," said Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson.
The reverse (tails side) of the new quarter depicts Cruz flashing her smile while performing in a rumba style dress. Her signature catchphrase "¡AZÚCAR!" is inscribed on the right. The image was designed and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill.
"I knew I had to make the design for superstar Celia Cruz as dynamic as she was," said Hemphill. "I watched her perform in her famous rumba dress and tried to create a design that truly reflected her greatness and vitality."
The obverse (heads side) of all quarters in the program features a shared design: a portrait of George Washington. Sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser more than 90 years ago, this image was originally created to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday.
Quarters for circulation are produced at U.S. Mint production facilities in Philadelphia and Denver.
On Wednesday, August 7, the U.S. Mint will offer circulating quality Celia Cruz quarters to the public through their website at https://catalog.usmint.gov. These quarters will be available in three different product options:
- a set of two rolls for $40,
- a set of three rolls for $60, and
- 100-coin bags at $45 apiece.
Of note, regarding the three-roll set, one of the rolls includes quarters from the San Francisco Mint, adding a unique level of rarity because, unlike those minted in Philadelphia and Denver, these quarters are not found in general circulation.
U.S. Mint subscriptions for quarters product are also available. Subscribers to U.S. Mint products automatically receive them when they are released.
The final coins from the program, quarters for 2025, will honor Ida B. Wells, Juliette Gordon Low, Dr. Vera Rubin, Stacey Park Milbern, and Althea Gibson.
I’m sorry to those that collect these but this one doesn’t even look like a coin! Looks like a token or something like that. Our coinage is getting very confusing. No wonder kids running a cash register don’t accept certain coins because they’ve never seen them before!!!! Heck, I might do it too, lol! NOT but just sayin!
AKBob, Maybe I was born with a little too much hope in my heart, and I truly apologize in advance for admittedly swerving a bit off the usual numismatic beam, but my primary takeaway from your observation was how lucky we can consider ourselves that there are kids out there who have the sense of responsibility and the personal drive to be working at all, whether or not they might occasionally have a problem recognizing a specific coin. As far as the latter point, trying to pay and/or tip with “golden” dollar coins or two dollar bills will in many… Read more »
In Canada, there are no one and two dollar bills, only one and two dollar coins. Cents were discontinued 12 years ago.
Antonio,
It appears that Canada somewhat matches the pattern of European rather than USA money what with the cent no longer used and the one and two Canadian Dollar denominations represented by coins rather than bills. Works for me, but that might be due to my overseas background; it doesn’t seem to be in much favor with many if not most Americans.
World upside down – 1k drop on Stock Market – Japan shuts theirs down for day – Gold and Silver drop.
Tony@GA,
The ongoing surprise for me is that unlike the traditional model of “stock market down = precious metals up” we have of late been experiencing a counter-intuitive “stock market down + precious metals down” phenomenon. What’s that all about?
When the public panics in the markets they sell EVERYTHING!!
For bullion stackers like me, it’s getting pretty close to a buying opportunity. Gold is holding up quite well!
DaveSWFL,
This is why it’s important to have a money manager at one’s behest, an investment expert who bides his time and doesn’t lose his nerve.
The markets sure whipped itself into a frenzy over the Fed’s delayed rate cut. A bit of an overreaction I’d say.
Major D,
A somewhat curious version of trying to put the cart before a horse as yet unchosen.
I see gold and silver are going back up. My view is, sell high, buy low. Everything else is just panic.
Antonio,
Panic is my middle name so I don’t sell high or low; I just hunker down.
Is Mary Jackson the black female scientist who worked on the Apollo program gonna make it on a coin? She is as deserving as anyone