First Spouse designs set

The United States Mint has announced the designs for the 2012 First Spouse Gold Coins. The coins honor Alice Paul and the suffrage movement, Frances Cleveland (first term), Caroline Harrison and Frances Cleveland (second term).

Author:
NMN
Publish date:
May 11, 2012

The United States Mint has announced the designs for the 2012 First Spouse Gold Coins.

The coins honor Alice Paul and the suffrage movement, Frances Cleveland (first term), Caroline Harrison and Frances Cleveland (second term).

The obverses of the 2012 24-karat First Spouse Gold Coins feature portraits of Alice Paul and the first spouses.

The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 states that in the case of President Chester Arthur, who was widowed before he took office, the obverse design for his corresponding First Spouse Gold Coin incorporate the name and likeness of Alice Paul, a leading strategist in the suffrage movement who was born during his term. The reverse design is to be representative of the suffrage movement.

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Inscriptions on the coin honoring Alice Paul and the suffrage movement are her name, IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, 2012 and SUFFRAGIST. Inscriptions on the other three coins are the name, the order and years of the spouse’s time as first lady, the year of minting or issuance and the standard inscriptions IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. The reverses bear unique designs emblematic of the suffrage movement and each first spouse’s life and work, with the inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, $10, 1/2 oz. and .9999 FINE GOLD.

The obverse of the Alice Paul gold coin was designed by Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Susan Gamble and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill. The reverse, designed and sculpted by Hemphill, depicts a participant marching in the suffrage parade, holding the flag and wearing a banner that says VOTES FOR WOMEN.

The obverse of the first Frances Cleveland Coin was designed by AIP Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. The reverse was designed by AIP Associate Designer Barbara Fox and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Michael Gaudioso. The design depicts the working women’s receptions that Mrs. Cleveland held at the White House.

The obverse of the Caroline Harrison coin was designed by AIP Associate Designer Frank Morris and sculpted by Gaudioso. The reverse was designed by AIP Master Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles L. Vickers. The design represents Mrs. Harrison’s love of flowers and depicts a close-up of an orchid and paintbrushes.

The obverse of the second Frances Cleveland Coin was designed by Fox and sculpted by Hemphill. The reverse, designed and sculpted by Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna, depicts an event emblematic of Mrs. Cleveland’s popularity with the public.

The new designs will also be featured on 1-5/16” bronze medals, priced at $7.95 each. For scheduled coin and medal release dates, please visit http://www.usmint.gov/catalog. Pricing for the gold coins will be based on the United States Mint’s pricing structure for gold and platinum products, also available at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog.