US Gold Coins
Lou Hoover 2014 10 Dollars First Spouse Gold Coin
First Lady of the United States, 1929 – 1933
The 2014 Lou Hoover First Spouse Gold Coin was the third release of the year and the thirty-fourth release overall for the one-half ounce 24 karat gold coin series honoring the spouses of the Presidents of the United States of America.
The obverse design of the coin features a near profile portrait of the First Lady designed by Susan Gamble and engraved by Michael Guadioso. The required inscriptions include “Lou Hoover”, “In God We Trust”, “Liberty”, “2014 W”, the order of the Presidency “31st”, and the dates of the Presidential term “1929-1933″.
Lou Hoover was born in Iowa in 1874. She was the first woman to graduate with a degree in geology from Stanford University. She twice served as President of a well-known girl’s leadership and service organization, and founded a racially integrated component of the organization in Washington, D.C. Early in their marriage, the Hoovers lived in China. They both loved China and spoke Mandarin Chinese throughout their lives. Mrs. Hoover designed Camp Rapidan, the Hoovers’ presidential retreat in Virginia, the precursor to Camp David. She invited the wife of Oscar DePriest, U.S. Representative from Illinois, to tea along with other Congressional wives. Representative DePriest was the first African-American since Reconstruction to be elected to Congress from outside the South. Mrs. Hoover was severely criticized for this move by some and praised by others. The two women were famously photographed shaking hands. Mrs. Hoover personally helped hundreds if not thousands of needy people who appealed to her for help during the Depression. She hired secretaries to help her field the requests and used her own funds to assist the needy, as well as passing requests on to wealthy friends and charitable organizations. After her death, as her husband cleaned out her desk, he found many uncashed checks that people had sent as an attempt to repay her generosity.
The reverse of the coin, which was designed by Richard Masters and engraved by Jim Licaretz, features a depiction of a 1920’s style radio set. The design is intended to recognize Mrs. Hoover as the first First Lady to give a public radio address. An inscription reads “First Public Address April 19, 1929”. Additional inscriptions read “United States of America”, “E Pluribus Unum”, “$10”, and “1/2 oz. .9999 Fine Gold”.
Sales for the Lou Hoover First Spouse Gold Coin opened at the United States Mint on August 14, 2014. The coins were offered in both proof and uncirculated versions with a combined maximum mintage of 10,000 pieces. There were no household ordering limits imposed.
The coins were initially priced at $865 for the proof version and $845 for the uncirculated version. These prices were based on an average market price of gold within the $1,300 to $1,349.99 range and subject to potential weekly adjustment.
Coin Specifications and Mintages
Date: 2014
Mint: West Point (W)
Mintage: TBD
Designers: Susan Gamble (obverse), Richard Masters (reverse)
Composition: 0.9999 Gold
Weight: 0.5000 troy oz. (15.554 g)
Diameter: 1.041 inches (26.49 mm)
Thickness: 0.074 inches (1.88 mm)
US Gold Coins
First Spouse Gold Coins Program
2007 First Spouse Gold Coins
2008 First Spouse Gold Coins
2009 First Spouse Gold Coins
2010 First Spouse Gold Coins
2011 First Spouse Gold Coins
2012 First Spouse Gold Coins
2013 First Spouse Gold Coins
2014 First Spouse Gold Coins
Eleanor Roosevelt Lou Hoover Grace Coolidge Florence Harding
2015 First Spouse Gold Coins