We are nearing Thanksgiving which means Christmas will soon follow after and the end of the year will be upon us. 2019 was a dynamic showing for the United States Mint as a number of releases were put under the “first-ever” category. However, the beginning of a new coin program made a big splash and yes, once again, we are talking about the American Innovation $1 Coin Program.
The multi-year series honors innovation and innovators with $1 coins from each State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands. Up next to be released this year is the third design of four in 2019: New Jersey.
Being released in rolls and bags in uncirculated finishes from both the Philadelphia and Denver branches of the United States Mint on November 21st, the New Jersey coin design features an electric light bulb. Thomas Edison, in addition to his team of researchers, developed the light bulb in New Jersey and forever changed how society operated. Commercially manufactured light bulbs gave people control over light in homes and businesses which dramatically changed how infrastructure, business, and society operated regardless of the time of day.
The reverse of the design itself features an Edison bulb atop an elegant background while the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” follow the top arc and “NEW JERSEY” follows the bottom. The obverse design features the representation of the Statue of Liberty that has been seen on 2018’s introductory coins in addition to the already released versions of the 2019 $1 coins.