The U.S. Women Quarter Designs
Like the National Park and Statehood quarters before them, the U.S. Women quarters are being minted and issued at the rate of five new designs per year, in approximately ten-week intervals. Once the scheduled ten-week period of production is over for each issue, no more quarters of that design will be minted for circulation. In accordance with the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, no living person is featured on the coins.
The obverse common to all U.S. Women quarters features a 1931 design of a right-facing bust of George Washington submitted by acclaimed sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser. She was our nation's first woman coin designer, who won the commission to design the 1921 Alabama Centennial Half Dollar. Gardin Fraser's bust of Washington had been chosen as the new obverse for the quarter planned for the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth in 1932, but ultimately was not chosen by then-U.S. Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon.
The quarter obverse was modified in 2022 as part of the U.S. Women quarters program.
When it comes to coinage art, each one-year-only reverse design showcases the talents of the new generation of designers commissioned under the U.S. Mint's innovative Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) and sculpted by its medallic artists.
Reverse Designs
2022
Maya Angelou – celebrated writer, performer, social activist
Designer: Emily Damstra, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Craig A. Campbell, Medallic Artist
The design depicts Maya Angelou with her arms uplifted. Behind her are a bird in flight and a rising sun, images inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived. Inscriptions are united states of america, maya angelou, e pluribus unum and quarter dollar."
Dr. Sally Ride – physicist, astronaut, educator, and first American woman to soar into space
Designer: Elana Hagler, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Dr. Ride next to a window on the space shuttle, inspired by her quote, "But when I wasn't working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth." The inscription e pluribus unum is intentionally positioned over the Earth next to America, indicating that out of all women in the United States, Dr. Ride was the first into space. The additional inscriptions are united states of america, quarter dollar and dr. sally ride.
Wilma Mankiller – first woman elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation and an activist for Native American and women's rights
Designer: Ben Sowards, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Wilma Mankiller with a resolute gaze to the future. The wind is at her back, and she is wrapped in a traditional shawl. To her left is the seven-pointed star of the Cherokee Nation. Inscriptions are united states of america, e pluribus unum, quarter dollar, wilma mankiller, principal chief and cherokee nation, which is written in the Cherokee syllabary.
Nina Otero-Warren – a leader in New Mexico's suffrage movement and the first female superintendent of Santa Fe public schools
Designer: Chris Costello, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Craig A. Campbell, Medallic Artist
The design features an image of Nina Otero-Warren on the left, flanked by three individual Yucca flowers – New Mexico's state flower. Inscriptions are united states of america, quarter dollar, e pluribus unum, nina otero-warren and voto para la mujer, the Spanish counterpart for the suffragist slogan "Votes for Women."
Anna May Wong – first Chinese American film star in Hollywood, who left a legacy for women in the film industry
Designer: Emily Damstra, AIP Designer
Sculptor: John P. McGraw, Medallic Artist
This design features a close-up image of Anna May Wong with her head resting on her hand, surrounded by the bright lights of a marquee sign. Inscriptions are united states of america, e pluribus unum, quarter dollar and anna may wong.
2023
Bessie Coleman – first African American woman to earn an international pilot’s license when U.S. training schools refused admission based on her race and gender.
Designer: Chris Costello, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Eric David Custer, Medallic Artist
This design depicts the barnstorming stunt pilot Bessie Coleman, suiting up for a flight, her expression showing her now-famous determination to learn to pilot an airplane. The inscription includes the date Bess received her pilot’s license: 6.15.1921.
Jovita Idar – Mexican-American journalist, political activist, suffragist and teacher who fought for the civil rights of those of Spanish heritage.
Designer and Sculptor: John P. McGraw, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Jovita Idar with her hands clasped. Within her blouse are inscriptions representing some of her greatest accomplishments and the newspapers for which she wrote, such as: mexican american rights, teacher, nurse, evolución, aster, el herald cristiano, la cruz blanca, la cróonica, el progreso and la liga femenil mexicanista.
Edith Kanakaʻole – Preservationist of Hawaii’s Indigenous Polynesian culture, agricultural traditions, history, language, hula and chants.
Designer: Emily Damstra, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Renata Gordon, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Edith Kanakaʻole, with her hair and lei poʻo (head lei) morphing into the elements of a Hawaiian landscape, symbolizing her life’s work of preserving the natural land and traditional Hawaiian culture. The inscription e hō mai ka ʻike translates as “granting the wisdom,” and is a reference to the intertwined role hula and chants play in this preservation.
Eleanor Roosevelt – civil rights and political activist who chaired first U.N. Human Rights Commission.
Designer: Don Everhart, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Craig A. Campbell, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Eleanor Roosevelt with the scales of justice against a backdrop representing the world, symbolic of her impactful work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the title of which also appears on the reverse.
Maria Tallchief – Member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma whose natural athleticism, stamina and grace elevated her to America’s first prima ballerina.
Designer: Ben Sowards, Artistic Infusion Program Designer
Sculptor: Joseph Menna, U.S. Mint Chief Engraver
This design depicts Maria Tallchief in a grand jeté with her Osage name, which translates to “the woman of two standards,” written in Osage orthography.
Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray – poet, writer, civil rights activist, legal theorist, professor and Episcopal priest.
Designer: Emily Damstra, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Joseph Menna, U.S. Mint Chief Engraver
This design depicts Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray’s eyeglass-framed face within the shape of the word hope, symbolic of Murray’s belief that social reforms are possible when based in hope. A line from her poem "Dark Testament" that characterizes hope as “a song in a weary throat” is featured as an additional inscription.
The Honorable Patsy Takemoto Mink – Japanese-American who was the first woman of color to serve in Congress where she fought successfully for gender and racial equality.
Designer: Beth Zaiken, AIP Designer
Sculptor: John P. McGraw, Medallic Artist
This design depicts the Honorable Patsy Takemoto Mink holding her landmark "TITLE IX" legislation. In the background, a view of the U.S. Capitol Building prominently features the south wing, home to the U.S. House of Representatives, where Mink served in Congress. The lei she wears represents her home state of Hawaii. The inscriptions include equal opportunity in education.
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – abolitionist, suffragist and Civil War surgeon who became the only woman to date to receive the Medal of Honor.
Designer and Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Dr. Mary Edwards Walker holding her pocket surgical kit, with the Medal of Honor on her uniform and surgeon’s pin at her collar. Awarded in 1865, she wore the medal for the rest of her life. The reverse design also features medal details.
Celia Cruz – an Afro-Cuban-American cultural icon who created a unique musical style that fused salsa and Hispanic Caribbean rhythms with New York jazz, and a flamboyant stage presence.
Designer and Sculptor: Phebe Hemphill, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Celia Cruz flashing her dazzling smile while performing in a rumba- styled dress. The reverse design includes Celia’s signature catchphrase "¡AZÚCAR!" in a nod to the Cuban coffee culture’s request for sugar.
Zitkala-Ša – political activist, author, musician, composer who successful lobbying led to passage of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act.
Designer: Don Everhart, AIP Designer
Sculptor: Renata Gordon, Medallic Artist
This design depicts Zitkala-Ša in traditional Yankton Sioux dress. She is holding a book, which represents her work as an author as well as her successful activism for Native American rights. Behind her, a stylized sun represents The Sun Dance Opera, while a cardinal symbolizes her name, which translates as "Red Bird." A Yankton Sioux-inspired diamond pattern sits underneath the sun.
