Duke Ellington First Solo Black On U.S. Coin In Circulation

12:43 pm EST February 24th, 2009 | News | 4 Comments

duke ellington coinWoot.

The United States Mint launched a new coin Tuesday featuring jazz legend Duke Ellington, making him the first African-American to appear by himself on a circulating U.S. coin.

Ellington, the composer of classics including ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing’ appears on the ‘tails’ side of the new D.C. quarter. George Washington is on the ‘heads’ side, as is usual with U.S. quarters.

The coin was issued to celebrate Ellington’s birthplace, the District of Columbia.

Duke Ellington – Perdido (1964)

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4 Responses to “Duke Ellington First Solo Black On U.S. Coin In Circulation”

  1. jr says:
    February 24, 2009 at 1:21 pm

    “the reparations have begun”-Glenn Reynolds

  2. Parthenon says:
    February 24, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    That’s cool. Other countries put their philsophers and artists on money; we just have president after president. And Franklin.

  3. Jack J. says:
    February 24, 2009 at 6:56 pm

    A well deserved honor for “The Duke”.

  4. Raijin says:
    February 25, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    So, the first African-American on a coin is not Dr. Martin Luther King, or Frederick Douglass, or Garrett Morgan, or George Washington Carver, but an entertainer.

    Color me thoroughly unimpressed.