Monday, Oct. 23, the US Mint will send 2023 Maria Tallchief quarters to Federal Reserve Banks and coin terminals for circulation. This coin is the tenth in the U.S. Mint's American Women Quarters™ Program and the final of five quarter designs for the year.
Beginning in 2022, the four-year series honors Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, Nina Otero-Warren, and Anna May Wong. Bessie Coleman, Edith Kanakaole, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jovita Idar, and Maria Tallchief are honored in the 2023 quarters, continuing the celebration of American women's achievements and services.
On the back of this quarter, Maria Tallchief is spotlit in balletic position and her Osage name, "Two Standards," is printed in Osage. Artistic Infusion Program Artist Ben Soward created and Chief Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted the picture.
"Although her artistry, precision, and technical skill made her one of the most renowned ballerinas of her time, it is Maria Tallchief’s courage, perseverance, and strength of character that I hope are evident in the design," Sowards. "Her legacy continues to inspire us to pursue our dreams."
Both the front and back of the program's quarters feature portraits of George Washington. In honor of Washington's bicentennial, this image was created ninety years ago by the sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser.
Those quarters that are designed for circulation are made in the production facilities of the United States Mint, which are located in Philadelphia and Denver respectively.
The three-roll package contains a roll of San Francisco Mint quarters, which is rarer than Philadelphia and Denver quarters.
In 2024, quarter designs will celebrate Patsy Takemoto Mink, Mary Edwards Walker, Pauli Murray, Zitkala-Ša, and Celia Cruz. Just revealed this week, the 2025 quarters will honor Ida B. Wells, Juliette Gordon Low, Dr. Vera Rubin, Stacey Park Milbern, and Althea Gibson.