US Mint To Issue $1 Coins Honoring Steve Jobs & Cray-1 Supercomputer In 2026
Each annual release of the American Innovation series attempts to serve some parts of the 50 states and territories. This time, representing California will be Steve Jobs. The coin features a young Jobs sitting cross-legged in his signature turtleneck, set against the backdrop of Northern California's rolling hills and oak trees. According to the Mint, this design captures Jobs in a moment of reflection, symbolizing how the region's landscape inspired his vision to transform complex technology into something simple and intuitive. The coin will be inscribed with one of the innovator's popular quotes, "MAKE SOMETHING WONDERFUL."
Across the country, the coin for Wisconsin will pay tribute to one of the most significant pieces of hardware in computing history: the Cray-1 Supercomputer. Designed by computer architect Seymour Cray in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the Cray-1 revolutionized the field of high-performance computing in the mid-1970s. Its distinctive, C-shaped design, necessitated by the need to minimize wire length for speed, became an iconic image and pretty much synonymous to the general public of what a supercomputer looks like. The Mint's coin design features a stylized aerial view of the machine, with the inscriptions "CRAY-1 SUPERCOMPUTER" and "WISCONSIN." The unique image not only highlights the supercomputer's shape but subtly suggests a "C" for Cray and computer.
Rounding off the 2026 collection are Iowa and Minnesota. The former features agricultural scientist Dr. Norman Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution," known for his pioneering work in developing resilient crops. Minnesota's coin spotlights the invention of mobile refrigeration, which revolutionized the transportation and preservation of temperature-sensitive goods.
All four coins will feature a common obverse (heads) design depicting the Statue of Liberty. As a special tribute to the nation’s 250th anniversary, the edge of the 2026 coins will incorporate a privy mark that includes a Liberty Bell with the inscription "250." While these commemorative dollar coins are legal tender, they are primarily sold to collectors by the U.S. Mint and will not be widely circulated.
