American Women Quarters Series
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Quarter
History, design, and collector guide
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker overview
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a surgeon who served the Union Army during the Civil War and remains the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, for her service treating wounded soldiers and civilians, including time spent as a prisoner of war.
Released June 3, 2024, her quarter honors both her medical service and her lifelong advocacy for women’s rights and dress reform, since she wore men’s trousers under her skirts and later abandoned skirts altogether, at a time when doing so could lead to arrest.
Design and specifications
The reverse shows Walker wearing her Medal of Honor, based on research into historical photographs to keep period details, including her hairstyle, accurate.
- Reverse sculptor: Phebe Hemphill
- Reverse designer (Artistic Infusion Program): the U.S. Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program
- Release date: June 3, 2024
- 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): 141,200,000
- Denver (D): 159,400,000
- San Francisco proof (S): 449,240
- Total mintage: 301,049,240
At about 301 million coins, the Walker quarter is among the lower mintage dates in the series, continuing the downward trend seen through 2024.
Why Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was chosen
Walker was chosen for her service as a Civil War surgeon and for remaining, to this day, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. She was held as a prisoner of war by Confederate forces in 1864 before being released in a prisoner exchange.
Beyond her medical service, Walker was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and dress reform, and continued wearing men’s style clothing throughout her life despite facing arrest and public criticism for it.
Collecting the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter
Circulated Walker quarters are worth face value, with about 301 million struck.
The silver proof set remains the primary way to acquire a premium version of the coin.
5 fun facts about the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter
- Dr. Mary Edwards Walker remains the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor.
- She served as a Civil War surgeon and was held as a prisoner of war in 1864.
- Walker was a lifelong advocate for dress reform and wore men’s style clothing for most of her adult life.
- Historians consulted period photographs to make sure her hairstyle and uniform details were accurate on the coin.
- Her quarter was the third coin released in the American Women Quarters Program’s third year.
5 common FAQs about the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter
- Is a Mary Edwards Walker quarter worth anything?
Circulated coins are worth face value. About 301 million were struck. - Why was Mary Edwards Walker chosen for a quarter?
She was honored as a Civil War surgeon and as the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor. - Has any other woman received the Medal of Honor?
No. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker remains the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor. - What is shown on the Mary Edwards Walker quarter?
Walker is shown wearing her Medal of Honor, based on historical photographs. - When was the Mary Edwards Walker quarter released?
It entered circulation on June 3, 2024.
3 quiz questions about the Dr. Mary Edwards Walker quarter
- What military honor did Mary Edwards Walker receive?
A) The Purple Heart
B) The Medal of Honor
C) The Silver Star
D) The Bronze Star - What was Walker’s profession during the Civil War?
A) Nurse
B) Surgeon
C) Chaplain
D) Quartermaster - What happened to Walker in 1864?
A) She was promoted to general
B) She was held as a prisoner of war
C) She retired from medicine
D) She was elected to Congress
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Quarter, Takeaway
The Mary Edwards Walker quarter, released in June 2024, honors a Civil War surgeon who remains the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor. With about 301 million struck, circulated coins are worth face value.