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Gerald R. Ford Presidential $1 Coin

Year of Issue

2016

Authorizing Legislation

Public Law 109–145

Background

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential $1 Coin honors the 38th President of the United States.

Gerald Rudolph Ford was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. Following the separation and eventual divorce of his parents, his mother married Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman. His name was legally changed in 1935.

Ford graduated from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1935 and later Yale, where he earned a law degree while coaching the football team.

Following a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Ford campaigned for the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from January 3, 1949 to December 6, 1973. He was appointed vice president in 1973, and almost a year later, he was thrust into the presidency when Richard Nixon resigned.

Highlights of Ford’s Administration

  • Initiating a program to grant clemency to Vietnam War-era draft evaders
  • Launching the Whip Inflation Now (WIN) program, designed to curb inflation
  • Signing the Federal Elections Campaign Act of 1974, an early attempt at campaign finance reform
  • Granting Richard Nixon a full pardon, becoming the first sitting president to testify before a congressional committee to explain his action

Characteristics

The obverse (heads) shows a portrait of Gerald R. Ford.

The reverse (tails) features a striking rendition of the Statue of Liberty.

Obverse Inscriptions

  • GERALD R. FORD
  • 38TH PRESIDENT 1974-1977
  • IN GOD WE TRUST

Reverse Inscriptions

  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  • $1

Edge Inscriptions

  • 2016
  • E PLURIBUS UNUM
  • mint mark ("P", "D," or "S")

Mint and Mint Mark

Artist Credits

Content last updated on January 07, 2026