Quarter Dollar 2023 Bessie Coleman, Coin from United States - detailed information

The Quarter Dollar is a United States coin worth 25 cents. From its inception until 1964, the denomination was issued in silver; it underwent several design changes, including finally the silver Washington quarter (1932 - 1964) featuring the first President of the United States on the obverse and the American Eagle on the reverse, issued then until 1998 in copper-nickel. The U.S Mint then embarked on several long term projects: the State Quarters series of 50 coins featuring each State from 1999 to 2008; in 2009, a six-coin series represented the District of Columbia and five US territories, and then the America the Beautiful program (2010 - 2021). After a brief interlude with a Washington commemorative quarter, the U.S. Mint started the American Women Quarters program in 2022.

Running until 2025, the program honours five women on five reverse designs per year, selected for "contributions to the United States in a wide spectrum of accomplishments and fields, including but not limited to suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and arts". The obverse depicts George Washington with a 1931 design by Laura Gardin Fraser.

The Bessie Coleman Quarter is the sixth coin in the American Women Quarters Program; it was released on 3 January 2023.

Bessie Coleman was the first African American and first Native American woman pilot. She was also the first African American to earn an international pilot’s license.

Coleman was born on 26 January 1892 in Atlanta, Texas during a time of overt racism and segregation laws. After being refused admission into every U.S. flying school she approached, Coleman learned French. She travelled to Paris in 1920 to attend the well-known Caudron Brothers’ School of Aviation in Le Crotoy, France. She was the only student of colour in her class.

On 15 June 1921, Coleman received her international pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. She returned to the U.S. and performed in her first airshow in September 1922. She became known for “loop-the-loops” and making a figure 8. Coleman used her growing fame to tour the country, giving flight lessons, performing in shows, and encouraging African Americans and women to learn how to fly. She also made a point of refusing to speak or perform anywhere that segregated or discriminated against African Americans.

Bessie Coleman died on 30 April 1926 as a passenger in a practice flight for a celebration in Jacksonville, Florida. Her flying career, although brief, inspires many young African Americans to pursue the field of aviation.

Bessie Coleman Quarter Dollars issued in 2023 have now been in circulation for only two years.