First Spouse Gold Coins from the United States Mint

The First Spouse Gold Coin Program was a series of gold bullion coins produced by the United States Mint to honor the First Ladies of the United States. This program was authorized under the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 and officially launched in 2007. The coins were released alongside the Presidential $1 Coin series, which also started in 2007.

Design and Denominations

The First Spouse Gold Coin series featured a series of coins, each honoring a different First Lady of the United States. For those Presidents of the United States of America who served their term as a widower or bachelor, a depiction of Lady Liberty from American coinage during that President’s term features on the coins. The coins were struck in 1/2 ounce of 24-karat gold (0.9999 fine) with a face value of $10 (USD), giving them a higher gold content compared to many other U.S. gold coins. Each coin was issued in both proof and uncirculated versions.

Obverse and Reverse Designs

The obverse (front) of each coin featured a portrait of the respective First Lady being honored, or Lady Liberty, while the reverse (back) depicted a design that represented a specific aspect of her life or legacy. The designs were carefully researched and intended to capture the contributions and achievements of each First Lady. The First Spouse Gold Coin Program released coins in the order of the First Ladies’ terms. The coins were issued concurrently with the Presidential $1 Coins, with each First Lady’s coin released in the same year as her husband’s corresponding Presidential $1 Coin. The First Ladies featured in the following order:

• Martha Washington
• Abigail Adams
• Thomas Jefferson’s Liberty (Draped Bust)
• Dolley Madison
• Elizabeth Monroe
• Louisa Adams
• Andrew Jackson’s Liberty (Capped Bust)
• Martin Van Buren’s Liberty (Seated Liberty)
• Anna Harrison
• Letitia Tyler
• Julia Tyler
• Sarah Polk
• Margaret Taylor
• Abigail Fillmore
• Jane Pierce
• James Buchanan’s Liberty (Liberty Coronet)
• Mary Lincoln
• Eliza Johnson
• Julia Grant
• Lucy Hayes
• Lucretia Garfield
• Alice Paul
• Frances Cleveland
• Caroline Harrison
• Frances Cleveland (second term design)
• Ida McKinley
• Edith Roosevelt
• Helen Taft
• Ellen Wilson
• Edith Wilson
• Florence Harding
• Grace Coolidge
• Lou Hoover
• Eleanor Roosevelt
• Elizabeth Truman
• Mamie Eisenhower
• Jacqueline Kennedy
• Claudia Taylor “Lady Bird” Johnson
• Patricia Ryan “Pat” Nixon
• Elizabeth Bloomer “Betty” Ford
• Nancy Reagan
• Barbara Bush

Uniqueness to the Series

Each First Spouse or image of Liberty featured in this series was issued in order of the woman’s time serving in office as the First Lady of the United States of America. You’ll notice in the list above that some of our nation’s former Presidents had multiple spouses or other unique issues. For example:

• President John Tyler had two wives during his term in office, so the 10th release of the First Spouse Series included designs for both Letitia Tyler (1841-1842) and Julia Tyler (1844-1845).
• Frances Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland, featured as the 22nd and 24th releases in the First Spouse Series as her husband was the only American President to serve two non-consecutive terms in office.
• President Woodrow Wilson had two wives during his term in office as well, with Ellen Wilson (1913-1914) and Edith Wilson (1915-1921) serving alongside Woodrow Wilson.

All First Spouses are not only featured in order of their time in office, but also based on their husband’s appearance in the $1 Presidential Medal Series. To feature in the latter series, the former President must have passed away. As such, modern First Spouses Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, and Barbara Bush have featured in the series, while Rosalyn Carter has not, as of 2023, featured in the series.

Collect First Spouse Gold at the US Mint

The First Spouse Gold Coins are available at JM Bullion in certified condition, as well as in original mint packaging for both BU and Proof coins. Our customer service team is available at 800-276-6508, online using our web chat, and via our email address. Our Payment Methods page is available to help answer your questions about payment options.