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 Althea Gibson Quarter Dollar is the twentieth and final release in the American Women Quarters Program.
Althea Neale Gibson (1927 - 2003) was an American tennis player and professional golfer, and one of the first Black athletes to cross the colour line of international tennis. In 1956, she became the first African American to win a Grand Slam event (the French Open). The following year she won both Wimbledon and the US Nationals (precursor of the US Open), then won both again in 1958 and was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in both years. In all, she won 11 Grand Slam titles: five singles titles, five doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. In the early 1960s, she also became the first Black player to compete on the Women's Professional Golf Tour.
Althea Gibson Quarter Dollars issued in 2025 have now been in circulation for less than 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 2025, 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. |
|
Reverse | |
The reverse design "portrays Althea Gibson with a racket in one hand and a ball in the other while standing confidently by a net on a tennis court as if in preparation before playing a match".
Below left, the initials of the designer, DE (for Don Everhart); below right, the initials of the sculptor, RG (for Renata Gordon).
Around above, the denomination QUARTER DOLLAR.
Around below left, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, followed by the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM ("Out of many, one" - signifying unity in diversity).
In the upper right field, ALTHEA GIBSON. Around the image, TRAILBLAZING CHAMPION. |
|