Types of Gold Coins: First Spouse Series

Four or five coins of 1/2 ounce $10 gold are released every year. As per the Act, new coins in this series will be issued at least till 2016.

first spouse gold coin seriesThe design of each coin depicts a portrait of the First Spouse on the obverse side and a scene representing her life or contributions on the reverse side. The series has a subset that carries the portrait of the respective presidents that did not have a spouse while in the office on the reverse side. The obverse of these coins depicts an image of Liberty from a coin that circulated during the era of the respective president.

Types of Gold Coins: First Spouse Coins Types

The recently released coins in the First Spouse Coin series include the following:

Elizabeth Monroe Gold Coins: Released in February 2008, this series is the fifth issue by the US Mint under the First Spouse Gold Coin Program. The coin’s obverse has Elizabeth Monroe’s portrait as designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Don Everhart. Donna Weaver designed the reverse of the coin that was sculpted by Charles Vickers and features the First Lady at the ‘Reopening of the White House 1818’ (as mentioned on the coin). Mintage of Elizabeth Monroe gold coins is limited to 40,000 as authorized.

Louisa Adams Gold Coins: These coins were released in May 2008 and make up the sixth issue in the series of the First Spouse Coin Series. Susan Gamble and Phebe Hemphill designed and sculpted the obverse of these coins respectively. This side of the coin features Louisa Adams’s portrait whereas the other side has the First Lady with son Charles traveling across Europe for a reunion with her husband in Paris. The mintage of Louisa Adams gold coins is limited to 40,000 as authorized in the Act.

Andrew Jackson’s Liberty Gold Coin: Seventh in the First Spouse Gold Coin Program aimed at honoring the US First Ladies, this coin was issued in August 2008. During his tenure in office, Andrew Jackson did not have a spouse due to which the coin bears an image of Liberty from a circulating coin of his era. The obverse of this coin was designed by John Reich whereas the other side was designed by Justin Kunz. The reverse side features the president as the “Old Hickory” hero of the Battle of New Orleans where he led American troops against the British. The mintage of Andrew Jackson’s Liberty Gold Coins was limited to 40,000. The US Mint sold 12,560 units of these coins for around one year.

Martin Van Buren’s Liberty Gold Coin: Among the various types of gold coins issued under the First Spouse Gold Coin Program aimed at honoring the US First Ladies, the eight release was Martin Van Buren’s Liberty coin. This coin also features the image of Liberty from a coin that circulated in his era as he did not have a spouse during his tenure as the President of the United States. Christian Gobrecht designed the obverse of the coin that featured the Liberty Seated Dime that was minted between 1837 and 1891. The other side as designed by Thomas Cleveland has a depiction of young Martin Van Buren reading. This side was sculpted by Jim Licaretz. The mintage of these coins was limited to 40,000.

Apart from the above, the other types of gold coins from the First Spouse program that have been released recently include Anna Harrison, Letitia Tyler, Julia Tyler, Sarah Polk and Margaret Taylor.