Steve Jobs to Grace U.S. Dollar Coin in 2026 American Innovation Series

A Visionary's Visage on Currency: Steve Jobs Honored on U.S. Coin

The U.S. Mint is preparing a new collection of commemorative dollar coins, celebrating technological breakthroughs. Among these, a special release is slated for next year, featuring the likeness of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple and a pivotal figure in the late 20th-century tech revolution. Since 2018, the United States has been minting the American Innovation $1 Coin series, a tribute to the technological advancements of each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. In 2026, this esteemed series will welcome four new additions, with one coin representing California – the very state where Steve Jobs was born and raised.

The 'Make Something Wonderful' Coin

The reverse of the California coin will depict a young Jobs, seated cross-legged against a backdrop of rolling hills and oak trees. Encircling this imagery will be the inscription "Make Something Wonderful" – a phrase frequently attributed to Jobs. The Mint's artists envision this landscape and pose as a reflection of his core philosophy: creating technology that feels intuitive, harmonious, and almost alive. This choice is a fitting tribute, as Jobs fundamentally transformed the personal computer and smartphone into ubiquitous tools for billions worldwide.

A Legacy of Innovation and Transformation

Following the establishment of Apple with Steve Wozniak in the mid-1970s, Jobs introduced the Apple I and Apple II, ushering in the era of commercially viable home computers. His unveiling of the first Macintosh in 1984 popularized the graphical user interface and the computer mouse – elements now indispensable to personal computing. This period also saw Jobs and Wozniak receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Reagan. However, 1985 marked a difficult turn, with Jobs's ousting from Apple. Undeterred, he founded NeXT, whose computers later served as the foundation for the first web browser and web server, and even the iconic game Doom. During this same interval, he acquired Graphics Group, which would eventually evolve into Pixar.

Rescuing Apple and Redefining Industries

Upon his triumphant return to Apple in 1997, the company teetered on the brink of collapse. His first major post-return product, the iMac, with its minimalist design, all-in-one functionality, and easy internet access, quite literally resurrected Apple. The year 2001 brought the introduction of the iPod, a device that became synonymous with portable music enjoyment. Then, in 2007, came the iPhone – a revolutionary gadget that permanently altered the mobile landscape, merging a phone, music player, and computer into a single pocket-sized marvel. The subsequent launch of the iPad in 2010 continued this trajectory of user-friendly, "human-centric" technology.

A Posthumous Recognition of Impact

Steve Jobs passed away in 2011 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. A decade later, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian honor, underscoring his profound and lasting impact. The Steve Jobs coin is not the sole technological marvel in this upcoming series. Next year will also feature a coin dedicated to the Cray-1 supercomputer from Wisconsin. Previous installments have honored innovations such as the lightbulb (New Jersey), Ralph Baer's Handball game (New Hampshire), the Hubble Space Telescope (Maryland), and NASA astronauts (Texas). These collectible coins will be available for purchase through the U.S. Mint's official online store, with the entire series projected for completion by 2032.