U.S. Mint

For the first time ever, Lady Liberty will be depicted as an African-American woman on U.S. coinage, the United States Mint announced Thursday. The new coin will be a 24-karat gold collectors' item with a face value of $100. Weighing in at one ounce, its metal value is currently around $1,200.

Struck on the occasion of the Mint's 225th anniversary (1792 to 2017), this Lady Liberty coin is part of a forthcoming collection of gold and silver coins representing "the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States" that will be released over the next few years. "As we as a nation continue to evolve, so does liberty's representation," said Elisa Basnight, the Mint's chief of staff, while announcing the new coin.