Milestones: Save the best for last

This special-issue coin is part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, which was launched in 2010 on the basis of the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. The law called for the Mint to issue 56 quarter-dollar coins with reverse designs depicting national parks and other national sites in each state or territory and the District of Columbia. The Tuskegee Airmen is number 56 and the final coin.

The coin commemorates not only the African American pilots who began their flight training in the Army’s PT-17 Stearman biplane at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, but also technicians, radio operators, and other essential and racially diverse personnel around the airfield. “It is fitting that such a significant historic site will complete this successful coin program,” said Mint Director David J. Ryder. “The Mint is proud to honor the men and women who overcame segregation and prejudice to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II.”

The reverse side of the quarter shows a Tuskegee Airman during World War II with the Moton Field control tower in the background. Two P–51 Mustangs pass overhead. The inscription “They fought two wars” on top emphasizes that the Tuskegee Airmen fought not only in World War II, but also at home, where they were faced with racial discrimination. The coin’s front features the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan.

The design was created by U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program Designer Chris Costello and sculpted by U.S. Mint Medallic Artist Phebe Hemphill. The quarter can be purchased online at usmint.gov. Prices vary depending on material, set, and finish; consult the website for details.

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