American Women Quarters Series
Edith Kanakaʻole Quarter
History, design, and collector guide
Edith Kanakaʻole overview
Edith Kanakaʻole was a Native Hawaiian composer, chanter, dancer, and educator who spent decades preserving and teaching Hawaiian language, hula, and cultural traditions at what is now the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
Released March 27, 2023, her quarter made her the first Native Hawaiian honored on U.S. currency, and the design was unveiled at a ceremony on the very campus where she once taught.
Design and specifications
The reverse shows Kanakaʻole with her hair and a lei poʻo, a traditional head lei, blending into the Hawaiian landscape she spent her life studying and teaching about.
Designer Emily Damstra said she aimed to emphasize Kanakaʻole’s deep connection to the land near the Mauna Kea volcano, since that relationship to the environment ran through so much of her teaching and composing.
- Reverse sculptor: Renata Gordon
- Reverse designer (Artistic Infusion Program): Emily Damstra
- Release date: March 27, 2023
- Composition (standard clad): 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
- Composition (silver proof): 99.9% silver
- Diameter: 24.26 mm, edge: 119 reeds
- Obverse: George Washington, designed by Laura Gardin Fraser
Mintage figures
Mintage by mint, all figures from official U.S. Mint production reports.
- Philadelphia (no mintmark): 372,800,000
- Denver (D): 368,600,000
- San Francisco proof (S): 503,400
- Total mintage: 741,903,400
At nearly 742 million coins, the Kanakaʻole quarter has the highest total mintage of any coin in the entire American Women Quarters Program.
Why Edith Kanakaʻole was chosen
Kanakaʻole was chosen for her lifelong work preserving Native Hawaiian language, chant, and hula at a time when these traditions faced significant pressure from decades of cultural suppression in Hawaii.
She trained generations of students in traditional hula and Hawaiian studies, and her compositions and teachings remain foundational to how Hawaiian culture is taught today.
Collecting the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter
With nearly 742 million struck, the Kanakaʻole quarter is the single most common coin in the entire series and trades for face value virtually everywhere.
Because the mintage is so high, there is essentially no circulated premium. The silver proof version remains the only realistic option for collectors seeking something above face value.
5 fun facts about the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter
- Edith Kanakaʻole is the first Native Hawaiian honored on U.S. currency.
- Her quarter has the highest total mintage in the entire American Women Quarters Program, at nearly 742 million coins.
- The design was unveiled at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, where Kanakaʻole taught for years.
- She is shown wearing a lei poʻo, a traditional Hawaiian head lei, blending into the island landscape.
- Kanakaʻole’s compositions and teachings remain central to Hawaiian studies programs today.
5 common FAQs about the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter
- Is an Edith Kanakaʻole quarter worth anything?
Circulated coins are worth face value. It has the highest mintage of any coin in the series, so it is very common. - Why was Edith Kanakaʻole chosen for a quarter?
She was honored for decades of work preserving Native Hawaiian language, chant, and hula, and for becoming the first Native Hawaiian featured on U.S. currency. - What is shown on the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter?
Kanakaʻole is shown wearing a lei poʻo, a traditional head lei, with her image blending into the Hawaiian landscape. - Where was the Kanakaʻole quarter design unveiled?
At an event at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, where she taught for many years. - How many Edith Kanakaʻole quarters were struck?
About 741.9 million combined, the highest total of any coin in the American Women Quarters Program.
3 quiz questions about the Edith Kanakaʻole quarter
- What is Edith Kanakaʻole’s historic distinction on U.S. currency?
A) First Native Hawaiian
B) First Asian American
C) First Pacific Islander athlete
D) First Hawaiian governor - Where did Kanakaʻole teach for many years?
A) University of Hawaii at Hilo
B) University of Hawaii at Manoa
C) Punahou School
D) Hawaii Pacific University - How does the Kanakaʻole quarter compare to the rest of the series by mintage?
A) Lowest mintage
B) Highest mintage
C) Exactly average
D) Second lowest
Edith Kanakaʻole Quarter, Takeaway
The Edith Kanakaʻole quarter, released in March 2023, honors the first Native Hawaiian featured on U.S. currency and carries the highest total mintage of any coin in the series at nearly 742 million. It is extremely common in circulation and worth face value.