Dolley Madison’s coin makes debut
WASHINGTON - First lady Laura Bush paid tribute Monday to “one of America’s most beloved first ladies” - Dolley Madison - at the unveiling of a coin in Madison’s honor.
“America’s first ladies have guided, comforted and sustained our nation in times of trial and triumph,” Bush said after highlighting the work of several of her predecessors, including Sarah Polk, Edith Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan and Lady Bird Johnson. “At the same time, they fulfilled their … other very important role and that is as the wife of the president of the United States.”
Madison’s one-half-ounce gold coin, unveiled by Mint Director Edmund Moy, is the fourth in the first-ladies coins, the first coin series to honor only women.
The series moves chronologically; already in coin are Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Lady Liberty, who appears in lieu of a first lady for Thomas Jefferson, who was not married at the time of his presidency.
Moy also unveiled the designs for the 2008 series of first-ladies coins, which will feature Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Adams and two symbolic Lady Liberty images to represent the presidencies of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, who also did not have spouses while in office.
More information about the first-lady gold coins and their bronze duplicates is available at www.usmint.gov or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT.