Steve Jobs to be honoured with new $1 coin engraving as US Mint celebrates American innovation

The U.S. Mint has announced that it will issue new American Innovation $1 coins in 2026, featuring four designs celebrating innovators who have shaped the nation’s history, including Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Jobs will represent California in the programme, joining three other honourees from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The move marks one of the rare occasions that a modern tech visionary has been commemorated on U.S. currency, a reflection of how deeply technology has become intertwined with national identity.

According to the Mint, the collectible coins will go on sale in 2026 through its official website. Each coin will cost $13.25, while a set of four coins, including the Jobs design and three others, will retail for $27.50. Collectors will also be able to buy rolls of 25 coins and bags of 100 coins.

“Steve Jobs encapsulates the unique brand of innovation that California runs on,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said when nominating Jobs for the honour in early 2025.

The 2026 Innovation Coin Series

The American Innovation $1 Coin Programme, launched in 2018, celebrates breakthroughs that have defined the United States. Each year, four new coins are issued to represent innovation from different states or territories.

For 2026, the four honourees are:

Steve Jobs (California) – Pictured seated before a Northern California hillside, paired with his quote “Make Something Wonderful.”

Dr Norman Borlaug (Iowa) – The agronomist who led the Green Revolution, shown holding wheat stalks.

Cray-1 Supercomputer (Wisconsin) – Featuring an aerial perspective of the famous machine, shaped like the letter “C”.

Mobile Refrigeration (Minnesota) – Celebrating early breakthroughs in temperature-controlled transport.

Each coin’s obverse side (heads) carries the Statue of Liberty with the inscriptions “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “$1.” For the 2026 edition, the U.S. Mint will also include a special privy mark, a gear combined with the Liberty Bell and the number 250, to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.

Edge inscriptions will include “2026”, the mint mark, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM”.

Why Steve Jobs on a coin matters

Steve Jobs’ inclusion in this coin series signals a new era of recognition for technological innovators alongside traditional inventors, explorers, and artists.

From the Macintosh to the iPhone, Jobs’ vision redefined how humans interact with technology. His relentless focus on design, simplicity, and the fusion of art and engineering reshaped not only consumer electronics but also how innovation is perceived worldwide.

The coin’s design captures that duality. By showing Jobs in a calm, reflective pose before a natural California landscape, it blends human creativity and technological ambition. The inscription “Make Something Wonderful”, one of his most famous quotes, reflects his lifelong pursuit of building tools that empower people.

For many in the global tech ecosystem, including Africa’s growing startup scene, the symbolism resonates deeply. Jobs’ legacy continues to inspire founders who are building local solutions with global impact, from Lagos to Nairobi and Cape Town to Accra. His appearance on a national coin underscores how innovation has become a universal language, transcending borders and industries.

Collectible pricing and availability

The Steve Jobs $1 coin and other 2026 American Innovation coins will be available directly from the U.S. Mint website when sales open.

Prices will start at $13.25 per coin, or $27.50 for the four-coin set. Bulk collectors can also purchase rolls and bags. While these coins are not for general circulation, they remain legal tender.

The Mint has not yet confirmed subscription options for the 2026 series, but previous years allowed customers to pre-enrol for automatic shipments of each new release, a convenience many collectors expect to continue.

Overall, the inclusion of Steve Jobs in the 2026 American Innovation $1 coin lineup is more than a numismatic footnote. It’s a symbolic bridge between the industrial and digital ages, between the innovators who built machines and those who built the ideas behind them.

As the U.S. marks its Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) next year, celebrating figures like Jobs reminds the world that innovation remains the heartbeat of the American story. And for the global tech community, it’s a quiet but powerful acknowledgement that visionaries who “think different” can shape the world, one idea, or even one coin, at a time.