The United States Mint honors our nation’s first spouses by issuing one-half ounce $10 gold coins featuring their images in the order they served as first spouse. The Mint issues First Spouse Gold Coins on the same schedule as the Presidential $1 Coins honoring the presidents. The First Spouse Gold Coins Program is authorized by the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-145).
When a president served without a first spouse, a gold coin is issued bearing an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era and a reverse image emblematic of a theme of that president’s life. The coin is inscribed with the years and order of that president’s term.
First Spouse Bronze Medals in the 1-5/16″ size are also produced. They bear the same central images as the gold coins and are also inscribed with the name of the first spouse and the order and years of their term as first spouse. The “Liberty” obverse designs are inscribed with the years and order of the president’s term.