Description

The Nation’s First Ladies are being honored on a series of one-half ounce 24 karat gold coins. The coins are considered numismatic items and have a nominal face value of $10. Typically, four different designs are released per year featuring the spouses of the Presidents in the order served. The First Spouse Gold Coins represent the first time that the United States Mint has featured women on a consecutive series of coins.

The program was authorized under Public Law 109-145 The Presidential $1 Coin Act. In addition to authorizing the Presidential Dollars series, which features the former Presidents in the order served, the law also provided for the issuance of gold coins featuring the President’s spouses.

For Presidents who served in office with a first and second wife, two gold coins are issued for the Presidency. For Presidents who served in office without a spouse, a depiction of Liberty is presented on the obverse of the coin for four instances, with Suffragist Alice Paul depicted for the final instance.

The obverse of each First Spouse coin features a portrait of the spouse being honored. The reverse design of each coin contains images emblematic of the spouse being honored. Some of the reverse designs so far have included memorable scenes from the spouse’s life, or images representative of their major contributions, themes, or accomplishments.

Obverse

Depicts a portrait of Patricia Nixon. The inscriptions are "Patricia Nixon”, the motto “In God We Trust”, “Liberty”, the order of the Presidency “37TH”, the dates of the Presidential term "1969-1974", and the date and mintmark "W"

Thelma Catherine "Pat" Ryan Nixon (1912–1993) was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974 as the wife of President Richard Nixon. She also served as Second Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961 when her husband was vice president.

As First Lady, Pat Nixon promoted a number of charitable causes, including volunteerism. She oversaw the collection of more than 600 pieces of historic art and furnishings for the White House, an acquisition larger than that of any other administration. She was the most traveled First Lady in U.S. history, a record unsurpassed until twenty-five years later. She accompanied the President as the first First Lady to visit China and the Soviet Union, and was the first president's wife to be officially designated a representative of the United States on her solo trips to Africa and South America, which gained her recognition as "Madame Ambassador"; she was also the first First Lady to enter a combat zone. Though her husband was re-elected in a landslide victory in 1972, her tenure as First Lady ended two years later, when President Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal.

Design: Richard Masters (RaM)
Modelling: Don Everhart (DE)

PATRICIA NIXON
IN GOD
WE
TRUST
LIBERTY
2016
W
RaM DE
37th 1969-1974

Reverse

Depicts stylized figures standing hand in hand and encircling the globe. This is intended to symbolize Mrs. Nixon’s commitment to volunteerism around the world. Inscriptions read “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, the denomination “$10”, and the precious metal weight and purity “1/2 oz. .9999 Fine Gold”.

Design: Richard Masters (RaM)
Modelling: Jim Licaretz (JL)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
RaM JL
• E PLURIBUS UNUM • $10 • 1/2 Oz. .9999 FINE GOLD •

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Gold
Fineness 0.999
Weight 15.554 g
Diameter 26.5 mm
Thickness 1.88 mm
Shape round
Alignment Coin
Mint
West Point Mint (W)

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