Beginning at 12pm EST today, the United States Mint will make available for purchase the third installment of the 2022 American Innovation $1 Coins. Featured in both 25-coin rolls and 100-coin bags, the next in the series seeks to honor the state of Kentucky.
Minted at Philadelphia and Denver, the coin features a banjo on the reverse, which is an important bluegrass instrument. Kentucky is known for its invention of bluegrass music as it has roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads as well as dance melodies. It is also prevalent in traditional African American blues and jazz. The banjo on the $1 coins is tilted to the side which is to represent the movement and rhythm of the music. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “BLUEGRASS,” and “KENTUCKY” are seen inscribed along the top of the design and in the middle.
In its fourth full year of releases in addition to an introductory coin unveiled in 2018, the American Innovation Dollar Program is a multi-year series that aims to honor innovation and innovators from each state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands with $1 coins. The obverse of the designs feature a representation of the Statue of Liberty with “IN GOD WE TRUST” AND “$1” inscribed. It also features a privy mark in the shape of a stylized gear representing industry and innovation. The edge of the coins are incused featuring the year, mint mark and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Source: United States Mint
