American innovation is celebrated again with a $1 coin now available from the United States Mint. The new dollar honors the discovery of the polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk and his team at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania.
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Product options include 25-coin rolls and 100-coin bags filled with Pennsylvania American Innovation dollars produced in an uncirculated finish at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints.
Designs for Pennsylvania American Innovation Dollar
Shown on the coin’s reverse (tails) side is an artist’s conception of the poliovirus at three different levels of magnification. A microscope appears beside the virus to represent the significant work it took to combat the disease. Surrounding inscriptions read: "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "POLIO VACCINE," "1953," and "PENNSYLVANIA." The design was completed by artist Richard Masters with Joseph Menna sculpting.
The dollar’s obverse (heads side) design, which is shared across the multi-year coin series, offers an image of the Statue of Liberty in profile along with a privy mark of a stylized gear and inscriptions of "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "$1."
Dollar coin edges are incused with their year of issue, a mint mark and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
Ordering
25-coin rolls containing uncirculated dollars from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mints may be purchased for $32.95. 100-coin bag options of the same coins are $111.95 each.
They are available directly from the U.S. Mint via its online store for American Innovation products. Orders may also be placed by calling the Mint at (800) USA MINT (872-6468).
About the Series
The United States Mint’s American Innovation™ $1 Coin Program debuted last year with one introductory dollar depicting the signature of President George Washington who signed the first-ever U.S. patent issued on July 31, 1790. It also featured stylized gears representing industry and innovation, and a privy mark-like collage showing an eagle atop tools within a shield.
This series with changing reverses continued earlier this year with a coin acknowledging the achievements of Annie Jump Cannon who was a Delaware-born astronomer that invented a system for classifying the stars. Two more dollars will appear later this year that celebrate innovative achievements from the states of New Jersey and Georgia.
The Mint earlier released other collectible editions of 2019 dollars, like the year’s four dollars in proof finish.
Coins will continue in the series at a rate of four per year with reverse designs honoring similar accomplishments from each state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories.
