The 2019 New Jersey American Innovation Dollar was the third in the series. It celebrates the invention of the light bulb.
The first light bulbs were developed in the 1830s, but these early models were short-lived, used excessive energy, or were expensive to produce. It took Thomas Edison and his researchers in Menlo Park, New Jersey, a great deal of experimentation to create a carbon filament bulb capable of lasting 14.5 hours. The bulb’s lifespan was improved to 1,200 hours through continued work and other innovations. Consequently, commercially manufactured light bulbs became widely available, making it easier for individuals and businesses to control lighting.
At Edison’s lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey, he had built his first high resistance, incandescent electric light as early as January 1879. During the glass vacuum bulb production, a platinum filament was used to delay the melting of the filament by passing electricity through it. Nevertheless, the lamp only burned for a short time. Edison used every bit of perseverance he had learned in his basement laboratory to improve the bulb. To make the filament, he tried a lot of different materials. Unfortunately, the tools available to him at the time prevented him from using tungsten, the metal used for light bulb filaments today.
American Innovation Dollar Characteristics
With an ornate background, the reverse design features an Edison light bulb. On the coin, some inscriptions read “United States of America” and “New Jersey.” Paul C. Balan designed, and Phebe Hemphill sculpted the reverse.
2019 New Jersey Light Bulb – American Innovation Dollars
Authorizing Legislation: H.R. 770, American Innovation $1 Coin Act
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Dollar Obverse Inscriptions
In God We Trust
$1
Dollar Reverse Inscriptions
United States of America
New Jersey
Incused Edge Inscriptions
2019
Mint Mark
E Pluribus Unum
Mint & Dollar Mint Marks
Denver and Philadelphia in Business Strikes
San Francisco in Proof and Reverse Proof Strikes
Available Dollar Mint Strikes
Business, Proof & Reverse Proof
American Innovation Dollar Specifications
Composition: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese and 2% Nickel
Weight: 8.1 grams
Thickness: 2.0mm
Edge: Incused Letter
Diameter: 26.49mm
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