Presidential First Ladies Coin Designs Unveiled

The U.S. Mint unveiled the designs for the First Ladies gold coins series, which is running in conjunction with the Presidential Dollars series starting next year. For each Presidential Dollar issued in pot metal (well, okay, it's a manganese and brass covered copper core,) there will be a First Spouse coin issued in solid 24 karat gold. I'll leave all the snide speculation about why the men get pot metal and the women get solid gold to others.

What I am unhappy about is that these important historical women, the "Mothers of our Country" in many of the same ways that their husbands were the "Fathers of our Country," have so far all been depicted as unsmiling, dour old matrons. Although the Martha Washington coin makes her look somewhat younger than most other portraits I've seen of her, where's the smile? And the portrait of Abigail Adams is downright frightening!

I have posted a photo gallery of the artist renderings for the first four coins, which were revealed today at the National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio. The coins themselves are expected to be released around Mother's Day, in May 2007. Please share your thoughts with me about whether or not you like the way the first ladies have been portrayed. Visit the First Ladies Gold Coin Photo Gallery, and then post your comments below.

Martha Washington is shown in an artist rendering of her First Spouse gold coin. Image courtesy of the United States Mint.