page_title: Presidential dollar coins
section_title: First Spouse program
hierarchical_section_title: Presidential dollar coins / First Spouse program
caption_attribution_description: English: Director of en:United States Mint en:Edmund C. Moy and First Lady en:Laura Bush at the unveiling of en:Dolley Madison's First Spouse coin on en:19 November en:2007. en:White House Website
context_page_description: Presidential dollar coins are a series of United States dollar coins with engravings of relief portraits of U.S. presidents on the obverse and the Statue of Liberty on the reverse.
  From 2007 to 2011, Presidential dollar coins were minted for circulation in large numbers, resulting in a large stockpile of unused $1 coins. From 2012 to 2016, new coins in the series were minted only for collectors. Another coin is slated for production in 2020 to honor George H. W. Bush, who died after the original program ended.
context_section_description: The United States has honored the spouses of each of the Presidents honored by the Presidential $1 Coin Act by issuing half-ounce $10 gold coins featuring their images, in the order they served as First Spouse, beginning in 2007.  To date, all first spouses have been women (often called First Ladies), but the law uses the term "First Spouse".
  The obverse of these coins feature portraits of the nation's First Spouses, their names, the dates and order of their terms as first spouse, as well as the year of minting or issuance, and the words "In God We Trust" and "Liberty".  The United States Mint issued the First  Spouse gold coins on the same schedule as the Presidential $1 coins issued honoring the Presidents.  Each coin has a unique reverse design featuring an image emblematic of that spouse's life and work, as well as the words "The United States of America", "E Pluribus Unum", "$10", "1/2 oz.", and ".9999 Fine Gold".
  When a President served without a First Spouse, as four presidents did, a gold coin was issued bearing an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era, and bearing a reverse image emblematic of themes of that President.  One exception is the coin depicting suffragist Alice Paul which represents the era of the Chester A. Arthur presidency, as Arthur was a widower.
  The act, as written, explicitly states that the First Spouse coins are to be released at the same time as their respective $1 Presidential coins. Because the act links a First Spouse's eligibility for a coin to that of the Presidential spouse, it means that a living First Spouse may appear on a coin. However, with the death of Nancy Reagan on March 6, 2016, there were no living eligible First Ladies.  
  The United States Mint launched these coins officially at 12 pm EDT on June 19, 2007.
  They provided two versions of the coin: a proof version for $429.95 and an uncirculated version for $410.95.
  The United States Mint also produces and makes available to the public bronze medal duplicates of the First Spouse gold coins which are not legal tender. In February 2009 Coin World reported that some 2007 Abigail Adams medals were struck using the reverse from the 2008 Louisa Adams medal. These pieces, called mules, were contained within the 2007 First Spouse medal set.
  Although the First Spouse program ended in 2016, it will be continued in 2020 to honor Barbara Bush.
  A full listing of the coins is:
  * Due to volatility in the gold market, the U.S. Mint lowered the price to $549.95 on November 12, 2008 to more accurately reflect the current spot price of gold. This however constantly changed as the price of gold changed. The mint used pricing range tables to adjust pricing of gold coin: 2016 Pricing Grid
  † Chester A. Arthur's wife Ellen died before he succeeded to the presidency.  Since there was no First Lady during his presidency, the act explicitly states that Alice Paul, who was born during his term, would appear on this coin.  Since Paul was never First Lady, the coin does not have a served date.
caption: Director of United States Mint Edmund C. Moy and First Lady Laura Bush at the unveiling of Dolley Madison's First Spouse coin on November 19, 2007
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