2022 Kentucky American Innovation Dollar (Buy on eBay) recognizes the invention of the beloved genre, bluegrass music—a distinctive sound that blends elements of traditional Appalachian music, blues, jazz, and gospel.
Bluegrass music has its roots in traditional English, Scottish, and Irish ballads and dance tunes, as well as traditional African-American blues and jazz. The genre derives its name from the band “Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys,” dubbed the “Original Bluegrass Band.” Bluegrass is said to have emerged during Bill Monroe’s first Columbia recording sessions in 1946. This marked the birth of distinctive features recognized in bluegrass today, characterized by breakneck tempos, sophisticated vocal harmony arrangements, and instrumental proficiency demonstrated in solos or “breaks” on the mandolin, banjo, and fiddle.
The reverse design depicts a banjo, an essential instrument in bluegrass music. The banjo is depicted at a slant, symbolizing the rhythmic flow and dynamic movement inherent to the genre. The reverse inscriptions read “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “KENTUCKY,” and “Bluegrass.” The design was created by AIP artist Christina Hess and sculpted by Medallic Artist Renata Gordon.
Specifications:
- Denomination: $1.00
- Composition: 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, 2% nickel
- Diameter: 26.5 mm
- Weight: 8.1g
- Thickness: 2.0 mm
- Edge: lettered
- Mint Mark: “P” (Philadelphia), “D” (Denver), “S” (San Francisco)
Mintages:
- 2022-P: 451,900
- 2022-D: 452,550
- 2022-S Proof: 77,372
- 2022-S Reverse Proof: 49,406
Mintages based on U.S. Mint Sales figures as of December 4, 2023
