Federal officials unveiled the new programme at a ceremony held at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in late November.

The new programme is a spin off of the hugely successful 50 State Quarters Program. The first four $1 coins will commemorate George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Mint researchers have learned that a systematically changing design peaks the public’s interest in a coin,

and federal officials see this programme as another way to teach history.

The dramatic designs will move the traditional inscriptions – “E Pluribus Unum” and “In God We Trust”, the year of minting or issuance, and the mintmark – to the edge to allow for larger images of the presidents. The face of each coin will feature an image of a former president and the years of his term of office. The reverse of the coin will show an image of the Statue of Liberty and the inscriptions “The United States of America” and “$1”.

During the 1980s, the amusement industry was part of the Coin Coalition, a group of trade bodies that united to push for a dollar coin that could be used in vending and amusement machines. Two prior attempts failed to catch on with the public.

Each president will be honoured with a single $1 coin, excluding any living former or current president.

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