MBN USA

November 18, 2024

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U.S. Mint launches a limited-edition commemorative collection of Harriet Tubman

It is the first time in our nation’s history that we have had a person of color leading the U.S. Mint, and it is a woman who is paving the way for more “she-roes” to be featured on our currency. In 2022, President Joe Biden nominated, and the Senate unanimously confirmed, the Honorable Ventris C. Gibson, an African American, as the 40th Director of the United States Mint. director Gibson is a U.S. Navy veteran, who previously served as deputy director of the Mint and associate deputy assistant secretary with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With a career spanning more than 40 years in executive and professional positions, Director Gibson has been the recipient of numerous awards and commendations for her excellence in leadership.

In her second year at the helm of the U.S. Mint overseeing the commemorative coin and medals program, Gibson is honored to be recognizing she-roes whose celebrations are overdue. Congress may authorize a maximum of two commemorative coin programs for each year to celebrate and honor American people, places, events, and institutions. In 2024, the limited-edition Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Collection launched, which is a worthy investment that also benefits two important nonprofits.

“Women have been at the forefront of change and pioneers of progress since the beginning,” she said. “We should continue to keep this in mind as we remember those women who boldly stood up to injustices and advanced us toward a more equal society.”

Investing in commemorative coins and collectibles can contribute to generational wealth for individuals, families and communities. A Federal Reserve study shows that Black families’ median and mean wealth is less than 15% that of white families, at $24,100 and $142,500, respectively. Hispanic families median and mean wealth is about 20% of white families. The coin program not only creates a unique opportunity to invest in a limited-edition item that will accrue value, but also presents a history lesson for children tied to financial literacy.

The act of purchasing a piece of this collection is, therefore, not only an investment in a tangible asset, but also in perpetuating the legacy of Harriet Tubman’s indomitable spirit. Moreover, the surcharges from the sale of the coins  (added to its face value) from this collection directly support the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and the Harriet Tubman Home, intertwining an investment in these coins with a contribution to the enduring mission for justice and equality. By acquiring pieces of this collection, the owner empowers a dual legacy: one of financial foresight for future generations, and another of embodying the values that Harriet Tubman herself championed

Harriet Tubman’s legacy “inspires us to fight for justice and equity every day, “ she said. The commemorative coins feature three distinct eras of her life: 

The silver dollar design portrays Tubman’s time as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading over 700 enslaved people to freedom. Its depiction shows her offering her hand to the viewer, with an expression that challenges them to seize the opportunity for freedom.

Tubman’s distinguished military career is reflected in the half-dollar design, which showcases her holding a spyglass in front of a row of Civil War-era tents. When the war broke out, she did everything she could to continue fighting slavery. She served in multiple roles as a nurse, Army scout and Union spy, becoming the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war and the Combahee River Raid, which resulted in the freedom of more than 700 slaves in South Carolina. 

Post-Civil War, Tubman continued to live out her core values of faith, freedom, family, community, self-determination, social justice and equity. On the $5 gold coin, she is shown “gazing confidently into the distance and towards the future,” per the U.S. Mint’s description. Throughout her remaining 54 years, she cared for newly freed slaves (even opening her home to them) and supported civil rights by giving speeches in support of women’s suffrage, civil rights, and access to health care for all people, not just African Americans.

“As a woman and as the first African American Director of the Mint, I stand on the shoulders of Harriet Tubman and other visionary Black women throughout U.S. history. I have devoted my life to carrying their torch a bit further by serving the public,” Gibson said. “The beautiful Harriet Tubman coins have personal significance for me as it confirms the values and ideals that I have always held near and dear. These values are still relevant today, especially in the ongoing fight for equality and a more perfect union.”

The Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin program is supported by Procter & Gamble Co. Purchase the limited-edition collection as a set or individual coins by visiting catalog.usmint.gov/HarrietTubman before December 31, 2024, while supplies last.