The Mint released the design of the quarter that will bear the face of Hispanic singer Celia Cruz for four years. The Cuban star will be the first Latina to appear on a U.S. coin. Her face will be on the back wearing a rumba style dress, smiling and with her signature word: "Azúcar" (sugar), written next to her name.
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American singer, cultural icon, and one of the most popular #Latin artists of the 20th century. The reverse design of #HerQuarter depicts Cruz flashing her dazzling smile while performing in a rumba style dress. https://t.co/Tya9Ibxp1v pic.twitter.com/DkPEEVrRVC
— United States Mint (@usmint) July 20, 2023
In February, the Mint announced that the Cuban-American singer was selected to be part of the American Women Quarters program, which chooses notable women in the country's history, to pay tribute to her. "By honoring them with the creation of these coins, we connect the country through small pieces of art that people can carry in their pockets," said coin program director Ventris Gibson.
Up to five new designs are issued each year, while the classic quarter remains the portrait of George Washington facing right, according to the American Women Quarters website.
Who was Celia Cruz?
Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso, better known as Celia Cruz, Cuba's "guarachera," was born in Havana in 1925. She became known in the 1950s singing for the Sonora Matancera orchestra.
In 1966, she traveled to New York and soon after became one of the great salsa performers, with several awards won including the National Medal of Arts in the United States. The Cuban died of a brain tumor at the age of 78 in New Jersey.
