Celebrated writer, composer, educator and political activist Zitkala-Ša appears on the latest release from the United States Mint today as part of its American Women Quarters™ Program. Zitkala-Ša quarter dollars are available in rolls and bags, each struck to circulation quality at the U.S. Mint facilities in Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco.
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Options include two-roll sets, three-roll sets, and 100-coin bags. While the coins feature a circulation finish, none have been released into general circulation.
Zitkala-Ša (translated as "Red Bird"), also known by her English married name Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a member of the Yankton Dakota Sioux and was born on the Yankton Indian Reservation in Dakota Territory on February 22, 1876. At the age of eight, Quaker missionaries took her to White’s Indiana Manual Labor Institute in Wabash, Indiana. This experience brought both pain and joy, as she was forced to leave behind her Native American heritage but learned to read, write, and play music.
As an adult, Zitkala-Ša sought to share her struggles, authoring several books that chronicled her experiences and publishing legends collected from Native tribes. She also excelled in music, co-writing The Sun Dance Opera with American composer William F. Hanson.
Throughout her life, Zitkala-Ša frequently engaged in political activism. She served as the national secretary of the Society of American Indians in Washington, DC, often voicing criticism of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and lecturing nationwide on the importance of tribal identity for Native Americans. In the 1920s, Zitkala-Ša also dedicated efforts toward women’s rights.
Zitkala-Ša Quarter Designs
The reverse (tails side) of the Zitkala-Ša quarter features an image of the honored individual in traditional Yankton Sioux dress, holding a book to represent her work as an author and her advocacy for Native American rights. Behind her is a stylized sun, symbolizing her collaboration on The Sun Dance Opera, with a cardinal included to signify her name, which translates to "Red Bird.
A Yankton Sioux-inspired diamond pattern sits beneath the sun. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "AUTHOR," "ACTIVIST," "COMPOSER," "25 CENTS," and "ZITKALA-ŠA."
This design was created by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program artist Don Everhart and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Renata Gordon.
The obverse (heads side) of all coins in the American Women Quarters series features the same portrait of George Washington. Created by artist Laura Gardin Fraser to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932, this image serves as a consistent element across the series. Obverse inscriptions include "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and "2024."
Quarter Specifications
| Denomination: | Quarter |
| Finish: | Uncirculated |
| Composition: | 8.33% nickel, balance copper |
| Weight: | 5.670 grams |
| Diameter: | 0.955 inch (24.26 mm) |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Mint and Mint Mark: | Philadelphia – P Denver – D San Francisco – S |
| Privy Mark: | None |
Quarter Products, Prices, Limits, and Ordering
The Zitkala-Ša quarter release includes the following product options:
- Two-Roll Sets containing 40 quarters produced at the Philadelphia Mint and 40 quarters produced at the Denver Mint for $40.
- Three-Roll Sets containing 40 quarters from the Philadelphia Mint, 40 from the Denver Mint, and 40 from the San Francisco Mint for $60.
- 100-Coin Bags where buyers have the choice of 100 coins from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint for $45.
The U.S. Mint has set product limits at 6,000 for the Two-Roll Sets, 16,625 for the Three-Roll Sets, and 8,250 for the 100-Coin Bags. Household order limits are capped at three for the roll sets and ten for the bags.
American Women Quarter products may be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint’s online catalog.
Zitkala-Ša quarters entered circulation on Monday, October 21, through the Federal Reserve Bank System. Notably, only the Philadelphia and Denver Mint quarters were released, as the San Francisco strikes are produced exclusively for numismatic purposes.
American Women Quarters Program
Public Law 116-330 created the American Women Quarters series, which debuted in 2022. Under the program, a total of twenty new coins will be issued over four years to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of women in the United States.
The 2024 quarters honor the following individuals:
- Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray – poet, writer, activist, lawyer, and Episcopal priest
- Patsy Takemoto Mink – first woman of color to serve in Congress
- Dr. Mary Edwards Walker – Civil War era surgeon, women’s rights and dress reform advocate
- Celia Cruz – Cuban-American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century
- Zitkala-Ša – writer, composer, educator, and political activist
American Women Quarters also appear in U.S. Mint clad proof sets, silver proof sets, holiday ornaments, and uncirculated sets, in addition to these rolls and bags.
2025 quarters will mark the end of the series and will recognize Ida B. Wells, Juliette Gordon Low, Dr. Vera Rubin, Stacey Park Milbern, and Althea Gibson.
