2024 Maine Innovation dollar debuts today at noon ET as the third release of the year for the United States Mint’s American Innovation® $1 Coin Program.
 |
 |
Showcased on the reverse of each new dollar is a design depicting Dr. Bernard Lown and his invention, the direct current defibrillator.
"I thank the U.S. Mint for celebrating Maine’s proud tradition of innovation by honoring Dr. Bernard Lown as part of its American Innovation $1 Coin Program," said Maine Governor Janet Mills. "Dr. Lown’s many contributions to medicine, including the invention of the direct current defibrillator, are responsible for saving countless lives.
Dr. Bernard Lown was a Lithuanian-American cardiologist acknowledged as a pioneer in cardiac research. In 1962, along with engineer Baruch Berkovitz, Lown developed the direct current defibrillator, which could correct abnormal heart rhythms believed at the time to be responsible for 40% of fatal heart attacks in the United States. Within two years, thousands of hospitals throughout the nation were equipped with their device. This innovation also led to new cardiac resuscitation techniques as well as modern pacemakers and defibrillators.
Product options for the new dollar include 25-coin rolls for $34.50 or 100-coin bags for $117.50, each containing circulation-quality Maine dollars produced at either the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia or Denver.
Design for the Maine Innovation Dollar
U.S. Mint artist and sculptor Phebe Hemphill created and sculpted the image found on the dollar’s reverse. It features a profile portrait of Dr. Bernard Lown above, with his direct current defibrillator in operation below. Reverse inscriptions read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BERNARD LOWN, M.D., DIRECT CURRENT DEFIBRILLATOR, and MAINE.
The obverse (heads side) of all coins in the series depicts the Statue of Liberty. The design was created by Artistic Infusion Program artist Justin Kunz and sculpted by 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 American Innovation $1 Coin Program debuted in 2018 with a single strike showcasing the signature of George Washington, the first President of the United States who signed the first U.S. Patent. The program has seen four new strikes annually each representing an invention or innovator from a different state or U.S. territory.
The 2024 series of dollars include:
- Illinois $1 Coin – depicting the steel plow
- Alabama $1 Coin – showcasing the Saturn V rocket
- Maine $1 Coin – this coin depicting the direct current defibrillator
- Missouri $1 Coin – honoring George Washington Carver
Ordering and Product Limits
The U.S. Mint’s online store for American Innovation products is the place to purchase the new Maine 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.
