Numismatic

2022-D Maya Angelou American Women Quarter BU

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In 2022, the United States Mint initiated a celebratory series running from 2022 to 2025 to honor influential women who shaped the nation's history. This program introduces up to five distinct reverse designs annually, starting with a powerful tribute to the celebrated poet and author Maya Angelou. Struck at the Denver Mint, this brilliant uncirculated quarter dollar carries the "D" mint mark, signaling its origin. The reverse of the coin presents a striking depiction of Maya Angelou with her arms raised toward the sky. Behind her, a bird takes wing against the backdrop of a rising sun, a visual metaphor directly inspired by her literary works and her remarkable life journey. The inscriptions on this side include her name, the national motto "E PLURIBUS UNUM," and the issuing country, "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." On the obverse, the coin displays a classic profile of George Washington. This particular likeness was originally sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to commemorate the bicentennial of Washington's birth. Decades later, this elegant portrait finds its place on the obverse of the American Women Quarters, paired with the inscriptions "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the 2022 year of issue.