The Presidential $1 Coin Act also authorized a series of First Spouse $10 Gold Coins. While Presidents appear on clad $1 coins, their spouses are featured on half-ounce .9999 fine gold coins with a $10 face value. The United States Mint produced both uncirculated and proof versions for every release. Annual mintages varied, and several issues have become more collectible because of low production totals. The program omits spouses of living Presidents, since U.S. law prohibits depicting a living President on circulating coinage; the same restriction carries over to the First Spouse series.
Obverse & Reverse Details
Each obverse carries the First Lady’s portrait and was released in the order the Presidents served. The design also lists the First Lady’s name, the years and numerical order of her husband’s term, the word “LIBERTY,” the year of issue, and the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
Each reverse presents a distinct design that illustrates the First Lady’s public service. For the four Presidents who never married, the Mint used a rendition of Liberty on the obverse instead. Reverse inscriptions include a brief description of the initiative, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” the face value “$10,” and the weight and fineness “1/2 oz. 9999 FINE GOLD.”
The First Ladies & Their Impact
Many presidential spouses supported candidates during campaigns and, once in the White House, used their platforms to highlight public concerns and champion charitable and civic causes. Dolley Madison helped define the First Lady’s social role, mobilized her network to build political support, and preserved important national artifacts during the War of 1812. The 19th First Lady, Lucy Hayes, was the first presidential spouse to have a college degree. She helped secure state funding for an orphanage for the children of Civil War veterans in Ohio and visited public institutions such as reform schools, asylums, and hospitals, and raised awareness for their needs. Eleanor Roosevelt broke ground by holding her own press conferences and advocating for women’s, civil, and refugee rights. The Betty Ford Center, a facility that provides treatment services for people with substance use disorders, would not exist today without First Lady Betty Ford. Betty was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush in 1991.
Another notable coin in the series is the 2015 1/2 oz Gold Mamie Eisenhower. The obverse is Mamie Eisenhower, the wife of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The reverse is a hand holding a campaign button reading “I Like Mamie,” due to her influence in her husband’s political campaigns. There were also “Mamie for First Lady,” “We Want Mamie,” and “I Like Mamie Too” buttons. Mamie supported inviting African-American opera singer Marian Anderson to perform at the inauguration ceremony. She also arranged accommodations for her African-American maids, enabling them to stay in the segregated capital and attend every inaugural event. After President Eisenhower’s heart attack, they became involved with the American Heart Association, raising awareness and funds.
Each First Lady listed above, and many more, are available in our collection, each with a unique reverse that is a glimpse into who these influential women were. View these coins and view other U.S. high relief and commemorative gold coins.
(A 2007-W Martha Washington First Spouse $10 Gold Coin, Proof, in original government packaging.)
