The 2019 New Jersey American Innovation Dollar was the third regular issue of the series. The coin recognizes the invention of the light bulb.
While work on light bulbs had begun in the 1830’s, these early models had short lifespans, used excessive energy, or were expensive to produce. After much experimentation, Thomas Edison and his researchers in Menlo Park, New Jersey created a bulb with a carbon filament that could last 14.5 hours. With continued work and other innovations, the lifespan of the bulb was improved to 1,200 hours. This led to the widespread availability of commercially manufactured light bulbs and allowed people to more easily control the light in their homes and businesses.
The reverse design of the coin features an Edison light bulb against an ornate background. The inscriptions read “United States of America” and “New Jersey”. The reverse was designed by Paul C. Balan and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
2019 New Jersey American Innovation Dollar Specifications
- Composition: 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, 2% nickel
- Diameter: 26.5 mm
- Weight: 8.1g
- Thickness: 2.0 mm
- Edge: Lettered
