What's A Buck Get You These Days? President James Garfield In Your Pocket

A $1 coin bearing the likeness of President James A. Garfield was issued today by the U.S. Mint.

Beginning today you'll be able to hold President James A. Garfield in the palm of your hand. And he'll be worth a buck, too!

The U.S. Mint today released the $1 coin with President Garfield's likeness on one side and the Statue of Liberty on the flip side. A special event was scheduled to be held at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio, at 10 a.m. this morning to celebrate the shiny gold coin's arrival.

The coin is the latest in the Mint’s series of gold dollar coins commemorating each of the nation’s presidents. James A. Garfield was the twentieth president, elected in 1880. He served just four months of his term before being shot on July 2, 1881; he died September 19, 1881.

The Mint was to provide one free Garfield coin to the first 500 children aged 18 and under in attendance. Several descendants of President Garfield will attend the ceremony. The Garfield home will be open for public tours immediately following the coin ceremony.

“We are so pleased and excited to host this once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Sherda Williams, the historic site's superintendent. “The National Park Service is proud to operate this site, which includes the home from which James A. Garfield ran his ‘front porch’ presidential campaign in 1880. We think this is the perfect location to hold the ceremony that officially launches the Garfield coin into public circulation."