Letter
Dear Ms. Gibson:
In its public meeting of 20 February conducted by videoconference, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed alternative reverse designs for the four non-circulating one-dollar coins of the American Innovation series to be issued in 2026. The Commission was pleased to take into consideration the preferences of the governor’s office for each state and of the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), and provided the following comments and recommendations.
Iowa. For the theme of agricultural scientist Norman Borlaug, the Commission members recommended reverse #7A, which they described as a strong design that conveys Borlaug’s achievements by depicting him standing in a wheat field. They commented that this composition successfully honors both the innovator and his innovation in improving agricultural productivity. More generally, they commented favorably on the strength of the alternatives within this set, including reverse #1A, which was the preference of the CCAC and the governor’s office.
Minnesota. For the theme of mobile refrigeration, the Commission members recommended reverses #3 and #7A, consistent with the preferences of the CCAC and the governor’s office. They commented that both designs convey the range of products that could be transported more effectively using mobile refrigeration. They complimented the simplicity and directness of #3, and they described #7A as a handsome composition that renders “Minnesota” in a font that is reminiscent of past graphic representations of the state name.
Wisconsin. For the theme of the Cray-1 Supercomputer, the Commission members recommended reverse #5, consistent with the preferences of the CCAC and the governor’s office. They supported the presented refinement to more accurately depict the computer’s historic configuration with an arc of twelve wedges, and they recommended adjusting the computer to be geometrically centered on the coin.
California. For the theme of technology innovator Steve Jobs, the Commission members supported using reverse #7A, #7C, or #10A, the group of preferences of the CCAC, the governor’s office, and the Steve Jobs Archive. Commending the simplicity of reverse #10A, they observed that it depicts Jobs in his iconic role of presenting his innovations to an audience, whereas reverses #7A and #7C depict Jobs as a young person but with less sense of his innovations; they expressed a preference for #7C over #7A. They supported the inclusion of the phrase “Make Something Wonderful” on reverses #7A and #7C, recommending that it be added to the composition of reverse #10A if this alternative is selected. Noting Jobs’s strong interest in typography, including fonts and proportional spacing, they recommended careful attention to the detailing of the coin’s inscriptions.
As always, the staff is available to assist you with future submissions.
Sincerely,
/s/Thomas E. Luebke, FAIA
Secretary
Ventris C. Gibson, Director
United States Mint
801 9th Street, NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20220