U.S. Mint unveils designs for George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush coins

The U.S. Mint released this week the official images of the upcoming George H.W. Bush presidential $1 coin and the Barbara Bush first spouse gold coin.

The big picture: The presidential coin was designed by artist Elana Hagler and sculpted by Mint chief engraver Joseph Menna. The first spouse coin was designed by Benjamin Sowards and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill. The reverse of the late first lady's coin, on sale from Aug. 20, honors her "passionate advocacy for family literacy," per a Mint statement.

• It depicts a person reading to symbolize "literacy, education, and knowledge," with an open road to represent life's journey and the future. The sun featured "is the promise of a brighter future."
• The coin honoring the late President Bush will go on sale later this year. Barbara Bush's design will also feature on a bronze medal along with the coin set featuring the late president, the first spouse medal and the chronicles sets, to be released later this year.
• Barbara Bush died at the age of 92 in April 2018. Former President George H.W. Bush died seven months later at age 94.

Go deeper:

• Barbara Bush's last letter to her kids
• George H.W. Bush: Emblematic of "a truly vanished world"

Editor's note: This post has been corrected to include the artist and engraver of the first spouse coin and to reflect that President Bush died seven months after Barbara Bush (not six months).