Celebrating the invention of the Saturn V rocket in Alabama and its importance to NASA’s Apollo space program for human exploration to the Moon, the United States Mint today at noon ET releases the newest strike in its American Innovation® $1 Coin Program.
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The dollar depicts the power and force of the Saturn V rocket, which was designed and built at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, lifting off with the Moon in the background.
"I am pleased to announce the release of the American Innovation $1 Coin for the State of Alabama," said the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson, Director of the U.S. Mint. The Saturn V rocket "was initially developed to support the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. We are honored to celebrate this major achievement with this coin."
In 1967, NASA initiated the Apollo 4 mission by launching the inaugural Saturn V rocket. Standing at 363 feet tall, the rocket generated 7.6 million pounds of thrust at launch, producing more power than 85 Hoover Dams. This colossal rocket was last launched in 1973, without crew, to transport the Skylab space station into Earth’s orbit.
Product options for the new dollar include 25-coin rolls for $34.50 or 100-coin bags for $117.50, each containing circulation-quality Alabama dollars produced at either the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia or Denver.
Design for the Alabama Innovation Dollar
Created and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Craig Campbell, the dollar’s reverse design also includes inscriptions of "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "SATURN V," and "ALABAMA."
Appearing on the obverse (heads side) of all Innovation dollars is a likeness of the Statue of Liberty. The design was created by Artistic Infusion Program Artist Justin Kunz with sculpting by Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill. Inscriptions read "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "$1."
Coins of the series also all bear edge-incused inscriptions of "E PLURIBUS UNUM," a mint mark ("P" or "D") denoting the coin’s place of production and the year, in this case "2024."
American Innovation Coin Program
The Innovation dollar program is a multi-year series that debuted in 2018 with a single coin depicting George Washington’s signature (he signed the first U.S. patent). Four coins are issued annually in the program, beginning in 2019 and scheduled to run through 2032, each honoring an invention or innovation from each state, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories.
The four Innovation dollars for 2024 include:
- Illinois $1 Coin – this release depicting the steel plow
- Alabama $1 Coin – showcasing the Saturn V rocket
- Maine $1 Coin – depicting the direct current defibrillator
- Missouri $1 Coin – honoring George Washington Carver
Ordering and Product Limits
Visit the U.S. Mint’s online store for American Innovation products to purchase the new Alabama dollar.
Product limits have been established at 8,400 per Philadelphia roll, 7,350 per Denver roll, 3,150 per Philadelphia bag, and 2,950 per Denver bag, along with an initial household order limit of 10 per option.
