Panels Look at 2027 American Innovation Dollar Designs

Four coins, representing the states of Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia and Nevada, will be issued as part of the continuing multi-year program.

The committees were also shown the common obverse that would be used. Each year, the American Innovation dollar features the Statue of Liberty designed by Justin Kunz and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. A stylized gear privy mark, which changes every year, appears below the motto.

The American Innovation dollars are intended to offer a reverse design that "symbolizes quintessential American traits—the willingness to explore, to discover, and to create one’s destiny."

Each panel was invited to make its recommendation on designs with feedback offered from government officials and historic panels as well as descendants of featured individuals.

Only four designs were put forth for Oregon, which has chosen children’s author Beverly Cleary for the representative coin. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee selected a design featuring Cleary in the middle of a row of books with the legend "Children Read Her Books." The choice of the Commission of Fine Arts was similar but included a small profile image of a child reading a book at the left edge.

The panels agreed on the selection for the American Innovation—Kansas dollar. After consideration of 10 different designs, panel members concurred on the design that featured subject Jack Kilby, creator of the integrated circuit in 1958. The selected scene showed Kilby in profile, holding the microchip with the schematic drawing of the circuit prominent in the coin’s field.

These recommendations, as well as the panel selections for West Virginia and Nevada, will be considered by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.