First Spouse Coin

Most investors that have a portfolio which includes gold bullion coins are already familiar with the United States Mint's popular First Spouse Coin Program. Made from 1/2-ounce of 24 karat gold, each First Spouse coin has a $10 denomination and are produced in both proof and uncirculated condition by the mint. The program was established in 2005 when President George W. Bush signed the President $1 Coin Act. That law authorizes them to be released along with the Presidential $1 coin, consisting of .9999 pure gold.

The First Spouse Coin's obverse will feature each First Lady's portrait, name, dates served in office, the mintage year, and the slogans "In God We Trust" and "Liberty". The reverse side will include information including "The United States of America", "E. Pluribus Unum", and ".9999 fine gold." A scene reminiscent of the first spouse's life will also be depicted.

The program has been quite successful since the first of these lovely coins was issued in 2007, and it is set to be in place through 2016. Four coins will be released each year, or one about every 13 weeks. Currently, a president can only be honored by issuance of a gold coin after their death. However, it is possible that one of these coins may be produced while the former First Lady is still alive, since the First Spouse Coin is released along with the corresponding Presidential coin; the first example of this may be Betty Ford or Nancy Reagan.

If a President did not have a spouse during their time in office, the coin for that period will have a picture of Miss Liberty, while the scene on the opposite side will portray an important event in the life of the President. That situation is true for Presidents Jefferson, Van Buren and Jackson. There will be two coins for President John Tyler because he had two wives during his tenure. His first wife, Letita, died during his second presidential term, and he married Julia before he left office.

During the initial release series of 2007, the Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Jefferson's Liberty, and Dolley Madison coins were produces. The 2008 series included Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Adams, and the Liberty coins for Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. Part of the 2009 series has been released; coins featuring Anna Harrison, Sarah Polk, Letita and Julia Tyler and Margaret Taylor will be produced. Margaret Taylor's First Spouse Coin is set for a release date late this year.

The program is off to a very successful beginning, with many of the coins having been sold out within the first day of release. The series should continue to grow in popularity as more coins are produced, and the potential for the earlier releases to increase in value as they become harder to find continues to grow.