Lady Liberty shown as black woman on US coin for first time

The United States Mint has unveiled a $100 gold coin featuring an African-American woman as the face of Lady Liberty for the first time in the history of US currency.

The 24-karat gold coin, which marks the Mint's 225th anniversary, was debuted on Thursday (January 12) in the Department of the Treasury's Cash Room in Washington, D.C.

The 2017 American Liberty Gold Coin obverse (left) and reverse (right). Photos: United States Mint

It is the first in a series of gold coins featuring Lady Liberty, which has been used on American coinage since the late 1790s, as an ethnic woman, Mint Principal Deputy Director Rhett Jeppson said in a statement.

Other editions will use designs representing Asian, Hispanic Americans and others "to reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of the United States," Jeppson said.

Treasury & Mint officials unveiled the 2017 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin! https://t.co/HkfcPN5Enq #USMint225 @USTreasury pic.twitter.com/0ShGHPn5oF

— United States Mint (@usmint) January 12, 2017

The coin's heads-side design by artist Justin Kunz depicts the profile of Liberty wearing a crown of stars with the inscriptions "Liberty," "1792," "2017" and "In God we trust."

Depicted on the reverse side, which was designed by Chris Costello, is an image of an eagle in flight. The inscription on the tails side include the nation's motto, "E pluribus unum," which translates to English from Latin as "Out of many, one."

h/t: @USTreasury Read about the 2017 American Liberty High Relief Gold Coin unveiling ceremony at https://t.co/jH8mfUIRlW. #USMint225 pic.twitter.com/mfo9EAvw6L

— United States Mint (@usmint) January 13, 2017

Phebe Hemphill and Michael Gaudioso, both based at the Mint's Philadelphia facility, sculpted the coin.

The Mint, which is the nation's only manufacturer of official coinage, is set to release the initial coin design on April 6. It will be issued every two years. — Reuters