Honoring Black History Through American Coinage

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the leaders, innovators, and trailblazers who shaped America’s story. Numismatics offers a unique way to honor these contributions—through coins and medals that preserve history in metal. From early commemoratives to modern circulating designs, these pieces tell powerful stories of resilience, progress, and equality.


Civil Rights & Modern Tribute Half & Dollar Commemoratives

  • Booker T. Washington Half Dollar (1946–1951)
    The first U.S. coin to feature an African American, honoring the influential educator and founder of Tuskegee Institute.
  • Carver–Washington Half Dollar (1951–1954)
    Celebrates George Washington Carver’s groundbreaking scientific achievements alongside Booker T. Washington’s enduring educational legacy.
  • Jackie Robinson Silver Dollar (1997)
    Honors the baseball legend who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier and became a national symbol of courage and perseverance.
  • Black Revolutionary War Patriots Silver Dollar (1998)
    Commemorates the first casualty of the American Revolution, Crispus Attucks—a patriot whose sacrifice helped ignite the fight for independence.
  • Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Silver Dollar (2014)
    Marks the 50th anniversary of landmark legislation that dismantled segregation and expanded equal rights nationwide.
  • Harriet Tubman Half Dollar (2024)
    Honors the abolitionist, Underground Railroad conductor, Union spy, and champion of freedom as part of the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Program.
Booker T Washington Commemorative 1948 D MS 67 NGC Silver SKU:I23442  Washington-Carver Commemorative Half Dollar 1952 Uncirculated Silver
Jackie Robinson Commemorative Dollar 1997 S Proof Silver $1 Coin

1998 Black Patriots Commemorative Medal Proof Obverse

U.S. Mint Image

Civil Rights Act of 1964 Commemorative Dollar 2014 P Proof Silver Harriet Tubman Commemorative Half Dollar 2024 S Clad 50c Proof OGP COA

State, D.C. & U.S. Territories Quarters Series

  • Duke Ellington Quarter (2009 – District of Columbia)
    Shows the legendary jazz musician seated at a piano with the inscription “Justice for All.” Celebrates Ellington’s cultural impact and lifelong ties to Washington, D.C.

2009 S District of Columbia DC & US Territories Quarter Clad 25c Proof


National Parks & Sites Quarter Series

  • Frederick Douglass Quarter (2017 – District of Columbia)
    Shows Douglass seated at a writing desk with Cedar Hill, his Washington, D.C. home, in the background. Douglass was a leading abolitionist, author, orator, and statesman.
  • Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter (2021 – Alabama)
    Depicts a Tuskegee Airman pilot with two P‑51 Mustangs soaring overhead and the inscription “They fought two wars.” Honors the heroic pilots and crews who battled fascism abroad and racism at home.
 2017 S Frederick Douglass NHS National Park Quarter Choice Proof Clad 2021 S Tuskegee Airmen National Site Quarter .999 Silver 25c Proof

American Women Quarters Series

  • Maya Angelou Quarter (2022)
    Poet, author, and civil rights activist—reverse shows Angelou with arms uplifted, a bird in flight, and a rising sun.
  • Bessie Coleman Quarter (2023)
    The first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license—depicted in aviation gear with a plane soaring skyward.
  • Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray Quarter (2024)
    Trailblazing legal scholar, poet, and civil rights activist whose work helped shape equality under U.S. law.
  • Althea Gibson Quarter (2025)
    Barrier‑breaking tennis champion and the first African American to win Grand Slam titles.
  • Ida B. Wells Quarter (2025)
    Investigative journalist, suffragist, and anti‑lynching activist who used the power of the press to demand justice.
2022 S Maya Angelou American Women Quarter .999 Silver 25c Proof Coin  2023 S Bessie Coleman American Women Quarter Choice Proof Clad 25c
2024 S Pauli Murry American Women Quarter .999 Silver 25c Proof Coin 2025 S Althea Gibson American Women Quarter .999 Silver Proof 25c Coin
2025 S Ida B. Wells American Women Quarter .999 Silver Proof 25c Coin

U.S. Innovation $1 Coin Series

  • South Carolina – Septima Clark (2020)
    Honors the educator and civil rights leader known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” for her work in literacy and voter education.
  • Ohio – Underground Railroad (2023)
    Recognizes Ohio’s critical role as a gateway to freedom for thousands fleeing enslavement.
  • Missouri – George Washington Carver (2024)
    Honors Carver’s agricultural breakthroughs, scientific innovation, and commitment to education.
  • Arkansas – Raye Montague (2025)
    Celebrates the naval engineer who revolutionized ship design through early computer‑based modeling.
 2020 P Septima Clark American Innovation Dollar BU Uncirculated $1
2023 P Underground Railroad American Innovation Dollar Uncirculated $1

2024 P Washington Carver American Innovation Dollar Uncirculated $1 2025 S Arkansas Raye Montague American Innovation Dollar Proof $1 Coin

Why Collect These Coins?

Each design is a tribute to courage, creativity, and progress. Together, they form a powerful narrative of American history—making them meaningful additions for collectors who value education, diversity, and legacy.


Start Your Collection

Celebrate Black History Month by adding these historic and modern tributes to your collection. Each coin is more than metal—it’s a tangible chapter in America’s ongoing journey toward equality and progress.

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