American Women Quarters Series
Jovita Idar Quarter
History, design, and collector guide
Jovita Idar overview
Jovita Idar was a Mexican American journalist, teacher, and civil rights advocate in early 20th century Texas who used newspapers to expose violence against Mexican Americans and to campaign for education and women’s rights along the Texas-Mexico border.
Released August 14, 2023, her quarter design was unveiled at the University of Texas at San Antonio, recognizing decades of work reporting on discrimination and organizing for civil rights.
Design and specifications
The reverse shows Idar standing with her hands clasped, her figure formed from inscriptions representing the newspapers she wrote for and the causes she championed.
- Reverse sculptor: John P. McGraw
- Reverse designer (Artistic Infusion Program): the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program
- Release date: August 14, 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): 190,600,000
- Denver (D): 184,800,000
- San Francisco proof (S): 503,920
- Total mintage: 375,903,920
At about 375.9 million coins, the Idar quarter is among the lower mintage dates from 2023, higher only than Maria Tallchief that year.
Why Jovita Idar was chosen
Idar was chosen for her fearless reporting on lynching and discrimination against Mexican Americans in Texas, work that regularly put her at personal risk, including a well documented incident where she physically blocked Texas Rangers from shutting down her family’s newspaper.
Beyond journalism, she organized La Liga Femenil Mexicanista, an organization focused on education and civil rights for Mexican American women and children along the border.
Collecting the Jovita Idar quarter
Circulated Idar quarters are worth face value, with about 375.9 million struck combined.
Collectors pursue the silver proof version for a premium coin, since the standard clad mintage is high enough that circulated examples carry no real scarcity value.
5 fun facts about the Jovita Idar quarter
- Jovita Idar once physically stood in a doorway to block Texas Rangers from shutting down her family’s newspaper.
- She founded La Liga Femenil Mexicanista, an organization advocating for Mexican American women’s education and rights.
- Her quarter design was unveiled at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2023.
- Idar wrote for and edited several Spanish language newspapers covering civil rights issues in Texas.
- Her reverse design uses text and inscriptions to form her silhouette, referencing her career in print journalism.
5 common FAQs about the Jovita Idar quarter
- Is a Jovita Idar quarter worth anything?
Circulated coins are worth face value. About 375.9 million were struck, making it one of the lower mintage 2023 dates. - Why was Jovita Idar chosen for a quarter?
She was honored for her journalism exposing violence against Mexican Americans and for organizing for civil rights and education along the Texas border. - What is shown on the Jovita Idar quarter?
Idar’s figure is formed from inscriptions and text, referencing her work as a newspaper writer and editor. - What organization did Jovita Idar found?
La Liga Femenil Mexicanista, which focused on education and civil rights for Mexican American women and children. - When was the Jovita Idar quarter released?
It entered circulation on August 14, 2023.
3 quiz questions about the Jovita Idar quarter
- What was Jovita Idar’s primary profession?
A) Journalist
B) Physician
C) Judge
D) Diplomat - What organization did she found for Mexican American women?
A) La Liga Femenil Mexicanista
B) The National Women’s Party
C) Mujeres Unidas
D) The Border Rights Coalition - Where was the Jovita Idar quarter design unveiled?
A) The University of Texas at San Antonio
B) The Alamo
C) Texas State Capitol
D) A newspaper office in Laredo
Jovita Idar Quarter, Takeaway
The Jovita Idar quarter, released in August 2023, honors a Texas journalist and civil rights advocate who used newspapers to fight discrimination against Mexican Americans. With about 375.9 million struck, circulated coins are worth face value.