In order to celebrate the first spouses of the United States of America the U.S. Mint decided to issue one-half ounce $10 gold coins portraying their images. The coins will include the images classified according to the order that they served as first spouse.

The 2008 First Spouse Gold Coins illustrate: Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Adams, Andrew Jackson's Liberty, and Martin Van Buren's Liberty.

Besides the portraits of the Nation's spouses, the obverse of the coins will include their names, dates as well as the order of their term as first spouse and the year when the coins were minted or introduced, inscriptions "In God We Trust" and "Liberty."

There is a unique reverse design in every coin. Each design shows an image emblematic of a spouse's life and work, and "The United States of America," "E Pluribus Unum," "$10," "1/2 oz." and ".9999 Fine Gold."

It's worth noting that when a U.S. president did not have a spouse (this includes Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren), the obverse of a gold coin has the image emblematic of Liberty as portrayed on a circulating coin of that period and the reverse features the image emblematic of president's life.

The new Spouse gold coins portray two 19^th century coin designs. This is due to the fact that the wives of the U.S. Presidents passed away before they had taken office.

The first 2008 Spouse gold coin will feature the image of Elizabeth Monroe. It will be a companion piece to the Presidential dollar depicting the image of James Monroe. The dollar coin is to be issued on February 14, 2008.

It is also worth mentioning that the prices of the coins will be known at the time of issue, this is because they depend on the price of gold. Interesting to note that the coins include one-half troy ounce of .9999 fine gold. They hold a $10 face value, which makes the First Spouse gold coins legal tender.

The presidential coins will be introduced with intervals of three months. The second issue will hold the image of Louisa Adams followed by a third issued with the image of Andrew Jackson's wife Rachel, who passed away in December 1828, just before Jackson became the President of the United States. The 3^rd issue with the image of Rachel will be a Capped Bust half dollar, the design of which was developed by John Reich.

The fourth issue portrays the young Martin Van Buren on the reverse. The Seated Liberty design of the coin was used between 1837 and 1891 by Christian Gobrecht. Van Buren's Wife, Hannah, passed away in 1819, which is 18 years before his swearing in.

It is worth noting that the 2007 First Spouse Gold Coins featured the images of Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Jefferson's Liberty and Dolley Madison.

Additional information is available on the official website of the U.S. Mint.