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 Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Quarter Dollar is the thirteenth release in the American Women Quarters Program.
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a Civil War era surgeon, and women’s rights and dress reform advocate.
In 1855, she earned her medical degree at Syracuse Medical College in New York, married and started a medical practice. She attempted to join the Union Army at the outbreak of the American Civil War and was denied. She served as a surgeon at a temporary hospital in Washington, D.C. before being hired by Union Forces and assigned to Army of the Cumberland and later the 52nd Ohio Infantry, becoming the first female surgeon in the US Army. She was captured by Confederate forces after crossing enemy lines to treat wounded civilians and arrested as a spy. She was sent as a prisoner of war to Richmond, Virginia until released in a prisoner exchange.
After the war, she was approved for the Medal of Honor, for her efforts to treat the wounded in battle and across enemy lines during the Civil War. Notably, the award was not expressly given for gallantry in action at that time, and in fact was the only military decoration during the Civil War. Walker is the only woman to receive the medal and one of only eight civilians to receive it. Her name was deleted from the Army Medal of Honor Roll in 1917 (along with over 900 other recipients); however, it was restored in 1977. After the war, she was a writer and lecturer supporting the women's suffrage movement until her death in 1919.
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Quarter Dollars issued in 2024 have now been in circulation for only one year. |
Obverse | |
At its centre, the obverse of the coin shows the portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States (1789 - 1797), facing right. He has long hair, falling down in a queue.
The designer's initials LGF (for Laura Gardin Fraser) are in relief on the neck truncation.
Around above, the inscription LIBERTY. In smaller letters on two lines below left, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
Below right, the date of issue 2024, under which a small letter represents the mint mark.
Mint marks this year are D, P or S for Denver, Philadelphia or San Francisco mints respectively. |
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Reverse | |
The reverse design depicts Dr. Mary Edwards Walker holding her pocket surgical kit, with the Medal of Honor on her uniform, and surgeon’s pin at her collar; after receiving the award, she continued to wear the Medal of Honor for the rest of her life. The left side of the design showcases the details of the Medal of Honor.
Below right, the initials of the designer, PH (for Phebe Hemphill).
Around above, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In the upper left field, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM ("Out of many, one" - signifying unity in diversity). In the upper right field, on two lines the denomination (a quarter of a dollar) given as 25 CENTS.
In the lower left field, on four lines the inscription DR. MARY EDWARDS WALKER.
On a ribbon around below, MEDAL OF HONOR 1865. |
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