The US Mint just put Steve Jobs on a $1 coin

The United States Mint put Steve Jobs on a circulating $1 coin on May 12, 2026, as part of its American Innovation $1 Coin Program. Only 25,950 coins were minted, and each carries a face value of $1 — but you won't be getting one in your change. The Mint sells them at a premium, and at this mintage level, collector demand is the obvious target.

The coin

Jobs is shown seated against a Northern California oak-covered hillside, a visual meant to represent, per the Mint, the idea of turning complex technology into something as intuitive as nature itself. The motto "Make Something Wonderful" — drawn from a 2007 address Jobs gave to Apple employees — runs along the design. The obverse follows the standard American Innovation format: a Liberty bust in profile with "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "$1." A Liberty Bell privy mark ties the release to America's 250th anniversary year.

California Governor Gavin Newsom nominated Jobs for the honor, framing him as the embodiment of California's innovation identity. US Mint Director Paul Hollis called Jobs "a remarkable innovator" who "changed how things interact in the world."

Pricing and limits

The coins go on sale at noon EDT on May 12 via the US Mint official release. A roll of 25 costs $61 — that works out to $2.44 per coin. A bag of 100 runs $154.50, or $1.55 each. Households are capped at 10 rolls or 10 bags for the first 24 hours; after that, the limit lifts.

Unlike gold or silver commemoratives, these are base-metal circulating coins sold at a modest markup over face. That keeps the entry price low enough for casual buyers while the limited mintage gives serious collectors a reason to act fast.

California's bet

The California Governor's office frames the selection as a statement about the state's place in American economic history. Jobs joins a roster of state-nominated innovators recognized under the program, which has run since 2018. Whether the coin appreciates on the secondary market is anyone's guess — the Mint's household cap is a deliberate attempt to slow speculation and keep coins in the hands of genuine collectors rather than bulk resellers.