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Metallic Composition
The overall metallic composition of the presidential gold $1 coins is 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese and 2% nickel. These ratios consist of a layer of pure copper sandwiched between two layers of a specially designed alloy. This alloy is made up of 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese and 4% nickel.
Design Features
The presidential $1 coins are 2 mm thick, 26.5 mm in diameter and weigh 8.1 grams. The coins feature a U.S. president on the obverse with a shared rendition of the Statue of Liberty on the reverse side. The lettering on the edge of each coin shows the year of minting, "E Pluribus Unum" and the mint mark.
Presidential $1 Coin Program
The origins of the presidential $1 coin began in 2005. That year, The Presidential $1 Coin Act became law, providing for a series of coins honoring U.S. presidents. The U.S. Mint began issuing the presidential $1 coins at a rate of four per year, beginning with Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison in 2007.
Edge Inscription Fun Facts
The placement of the edge inscription varies on each coin. During the minting process, the coins feed randomly into the machine that inscribes the edges. This occurs without regard to the "heads" or "tails" orientation of the coins.
The words "In God We Trust" originally appeared as an edge inscription on the presidential $1 coin. In 2009, the phrase moved to the obverse side.