James K. Polk and Sarah Polk Presidential Dollar & First Spouse Medal Sets launched Thursday at noon ET and are available at the United States Mint Web site for a price of $8.95, plus shipping and handling.

Marking the fourth issue of the product series this year and the twelfth since it began in 2007, the set includes an uncirculated James K. Polk Presidential Dollar and a 1/15 inch Sarah Polk Bronze Medal.

The two are mounted within an attractive "durable plastic card enhanced with beautiful representations of the President and first spouse’s portraits, with issuance information on the back."

US Mint sales figures for this year’s sets, as illustrated in the table below, are stronger than individual First Spouse Gold Coins, but less than bags and rolls of the Presidential Dollars. Read the rest of this entry »

At 12 Noon (Eastern) today, the United States Mint launched the Sarah Polk First Spouse Gold Coins. Struck from 24-carat gold, these commemoratives honor Sarah who served as First Lady to James Polk, eleventh President of the United States.

Marking the twelfth design in the series of First Spouse coins, the Polk coins are available in either proof or uncirculated condition. The proof was set at a price of $654 with the uncirculated available for $641.

These prices are subject to change weekly based on the Mint’s pricing policy which links the market price of gold to the selling price for the precious metal coins. (For more information, see First Spouse Coins Price Grid.) A bronze medal in the likeness of the Sarah Polk gold coins will also be available for $3.50. Read the rest of this entry »

The United States Mint today revealed the 2009 First Spouse Gold Coin designs. The five one-half ounce $10 gold coins feature images portraying presidential spouses Anna Harrison, Letitia and Julia Tyler (first and second wives), Sarah Polk, and Margaret Taylor.

The gold, 24-karat (.9999-fine) coins enters their third year of production. They began in 2007 with the same release schedule as the Presidential $1 Coins. 2009 brings a uniquess to the series in that an extra coin will be struck because President Tyler’s first wife, Letitia, died in 1822 and he remarried Julia in 1884.

"The First Spouse Gold Coin designs give us a glimpse into the fascinating lives of the women who supported, promoted and often advised the men who led our country," said United States Mint Director Ed Moy.

The U.S. Mint statement announcing the designs provided the following descriptions and images for each First Spouse Gold Coin (added are whitehouse.gov biography links): Read the rest of this entry »