American Women Quarters Series
Zitkala-Ša Quarter
History, design, and collector guide
Zitkala-Ša overview
Zitkala-Ša, also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Yankton Dakota writer, musician, and activist who wrote extensively about the harm caused by the federal Indian boarding school system while also co-founding the National Council of American Indians in 1926.
Released October 21, 2024 as the final coin of the program’s third year, her quarter honors decades of work preserving Native American culture and advocating for Native American citizenship and voting rights.
Design and specifications
The reverse shows Zitkala-Ša in traditional Yankton Sioux dress, holding a book, reflecting both her cultural heritage and her career as a writer.
- Reverse sculptor: Renata Gordon
- Reverse designer (Artistic Infusion Program): Don Everhart
- Release date: October 21, 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): 152,600,000
- Denver (D): 170,200,000
- San Francisco proof (S): 430,280
- Total mintage: 323,230,280
At about 323.2 million coins, the Zitkala-Ša quarter closed out 2024 with one of the lower mintages of the year, ahead of only Mary Edwards Walker and Celia Cruz.
Why Zitkala-Ša was chosen
Zitkala-Ša was chosen for a body of work that spanned writing, music, and activism. She published essays and short stories sharply critical of federal Indian boarding schools at a time when few writers were willing to challenge that system publicly.
She later co-founded the National Council of American Indians, advocating for Native American citizenship, which was granted nationally in 1924, and for voting rights that many Native Americans continued to be denied in practice for decades afterward.
Collecting the Zitkala-Ša quarter
Circulated Zitkala-Ša quarters are worth face value, with about 323.2 million struck.
Collectors seeking a premium coin look to the silver proof set, the standard option across the whole series.
5 fun facts about the Zitkala-Ša quarter
- Zitkala-Ša was also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, and used her Dakota name professionally as a writer.
- She wrote essays sharply critical of the federal Indian boarding school system.
- She co-founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926.
- Her quarter closed out the American Women Quarters Program’s third year, released October 21, 2024.
- The reverse shows her in traditional Yankton Sioux dress, holding a book.
5 common FAQs about the Zitkala-Ša quarter
- Is a Zitkala-Ša quarter worth anything?
Circulated coins are worth face value. About 323.2 million were struck. - Why was Zitkala-Ša chosen for a quarter?
She was honored for her writing exposing harms of the federal Indian boarding school system and her activism for Native American citizenship and voting rights. - What organization did Zitkala-Ša co-found?
The National Council of American Indians, founded in 1926. - What is shown on the Zitkala-Ša quarter?
She is shown in traditional Yankton Sioux dress, holding a book. - When was the Zitkala-Ša quarter released?
It entered circulation on October 21, 2024, closing out the program’s third year.
3 quiz questions about the Zitkala-Ša quarter
- What was Zitkala-Ša’s other name, used earlier in her career?
A) Sarah Winnemucca
B) Gertrude Simmons Bonnin
C) Susan La Flesche
D) Zintkala Nuni - What system did Zitkala-Ša’s writing sharply criticize?
A) The reservation system
B) Federal Indian boarding schools
C) The military draft
D) The electoral college - What organization did she co-found in 1926?
A) The National Congress of American Indians
B) The National Council of American Indians
C) The American Indian Movement
D) The Society of American Indians
Zitkala-Ša Quarter, Takeaway
The Zitkala-Ša quarter, released in October 2024, closed out the program’s third year and honors a Yankton Dakota writer and activist who fought for Native American citizenship and against the boarding school system. With about 323.2 million struck, circulated coins are worth face value.