Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix has been chosen by Governor Bob Ferguson to represent Washington state in the U.S. Mint American Innovation $1 Coin Program.
Launched in 2019, the U.S. Mint program honors pioneering innovation and innovators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories, issuing four commemorative $1 coins each year through 2032. Washington state is scheduled for its official coin release in 2029.
Governor Ferguson selected Hendrix after receiving recommendations from an Innovation Coin Advisory Committee assembled by Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti. The committee reviewed public submissions and history experts before presenting five finalists to the Governor.
"Washington is one of the most innovative states in the nation," said Governor Ferguson. "Picking just one example from the most innovative state in the nation was difficult, but Jimi Hendrix’s historic innovation on guitar and his deep roots in Washington make him a great choice to represent our state."
Born in Seattle in 1942, Hendrix revolutionized the electric guitar by popularizing feedback, fusing blues with psychedelia, and reshaping the evolution of rock, metal, and funk. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, he was named the greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2023.
Reacting to the news, Janie L. Hendrix, President and CEO of Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., said: "To have Jimi honored on a United States $1 coin representing Washington’s spirit of innovation is an extraordinary honor. Jimi called himself a West Coast Seattle Boy—a magic boy—and he shared that magic with the world through his music and imagination. His creativity changed music forever, and it continues to inspire people across generations."
The next phase of the process involves design development and consultation with the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, before final approval by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
