The 2009 First Spouse Gold Coins marked the third year for the series of 24-karat strikes from the US Mint. The program honors the spouses of the former Presidents of the United States with 1/2 ounce .9999 fine gold coins.
2009 First Spouse Gold Coins - Click to Enlarge
This series was issued along with circulating $1 coins honoring the presidents themselves all included in the Presidential $1 Coin Act (Public Law 109-145). Under the act, four Presidential $1 coins are to be issued annually with these associated spouse coins released on a schedule linked to those Presidential coins.
Each First Spouse Coin will be struck to either proof or uncirculated condition to a diameter of 1.043 inches and a thickness of 0.074 inches. The obverse of each will show a portrait of the featured spouse with the reverse showing a scene from their life.
Beginning in 2009, the Mint started tying the price of these coins to the gold market. It did so by creating a pricing matrix linking the cost of the coins to the previous weeks average London Spot for the precious metal.
A total of five different First Spouse Gold Coins were issued by the US Mint in 2009 including:
- Anna Harrison Gold Coins, honoring the wife of William Henry Harrison
- Letitia Tyler Gold Coins, honoring the first wife of John Tyler
- Julia Tyler Gold Coins, honoring the second wife of John Tyler
- Sarah Polk Gold Coins, honoring the wife of James K. Polk
- Margaret Taylor Gold Coins, honoring the wife of Zachary Taylor
The Letitia and Julia Tyler coins indicated above showcase a special situation encountered by the series. Both women served as the First Lady of the White House under the administration of President John Tyler. Letitia was John’s first wife who died while he was in office. He then married Julia who assumed the duties of official hostess.
If a President were to serve without a spouse, then an image of Liberty used on a circulating coin during the time of his administration will be shown instead.
