In a special run of quarters to be minted for 2025, the Treasury Department announced that five extraordinary women will have their own remarkable place on US coins. These individuals are the result of a four-year journey in the American Women’s Quarters Program, which was created to honor women’s contributions to American history.
The American Women Quarters Program
The American Women Quarters Program, which was launched in 2022, is a venue for honoring exceptional women from many backgrounds who have excelled in disciplines such as suffrage, civil rights, government, science, space, and the arts. The United States Mint states that “the American Women Quarters may feature contributions from a variety of fields.” The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020 authorizes this initiative, confirming its relevance.
The design selection process
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, “the first woman to hold that post,” chose the honorees in collaboration with notable institutions such as the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, the National Women’s History Museum, and the Congressional Bipartisan Women’s Caucus. The United States Mint took precautions to assure the accuracy and propriety of the selection process, including soliciting public feedback.
These incredible and inspiring women will be honored on the American Women Quarters in 2025:
1. Ida B. Wells:
A “trailblazing investigative journalist and civil rights activist” whose reporting on injustices, including lynching, spurred the civil rights movement.
2. Juliette Gordon Low:
The “founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912,” whose organization aided young women during the suffrage movement.
3. Dr. Vera Rubin:
Known for her “work in the 1970s on the rotation of galaxies,” which revealed evidence of dark matter and reshaped our understanding of the universe. Rubin was also a prominent advocate for women in science.
4. Stacey Park Milbern:
Milbern has been a pioneer in the “disability justice movement” since the early 2000s, advocating for disability rights at the state and national levels.
5. Althea Gibson:
A multi-sport athlete who was “the first Black athlete to play tennis at its highest level.” She broke down racial barriers and left her imprint on both tennis and golf.
These ladies join an illustrious list of people who have appeared on American quarters, including Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, and Eleanor Roosevelt. The American Women Quarters Program is more than just a symbolic gesture; it is a forceful affirmation of the important contributions that women have played in building the United States. These extraordinary women’s experiences, imprinted on these quarters, will inspire and serve as a reminder that the quest of excellence knows no gender limits.
