Washington has nominated the guitar legend for a 2029 collectible coin, but the US Mint has yet to approve the design.
Jimi Hendrix could soon be immortalised on a US dollar coin, after Washington state nominated the late guitar pioneer for its place in the American Innovation $1 Coin Program.
Governor Bob Ferguson announced the selection on 9 November, choosing Hendrix to represent Washington in the US Mint initiative celebrating innovators from across the country.
The coin is scheduled for release in 2029, although the final design still requires federal approval. And before anyone starts checking their spare change, the US Mint confirms these dollars are legal tender but aren’t produced for general circulation.
From Feedback To Federal Recognition
Born in Seattle in 1942, Hendrix revolutionised electric guitar through his use of feedback, distortion and experimental playing techniques.
His influence extended well beyond psychedelic rock. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame credits Hendrix with expanding the guitar’s possibilities through improvisation and adventurous studio techniques, including phasing and backmasking.
Those innovations helped shape the sound of heavy rock and metal, making his selection about more than his considerable fame.
In his official announcement, Ferguson pointed to Hendrix’s musical achievements and Washington roots, describing the guitarist as a fitting representative of the state’s innovative history.
Hendrix emerged from a shortlist of five finalists assembled by a state advisory committee following a public call for suggestions. According to the Washington State Treasurer’s Office, the process invited nominations to help identify a suitable representative of the state’s history of innovation.
The other finalists, identified in Ferguson’s announcement, included martial arts pioneer Bruce Lee and Billy Frank Jr., the Indigenous activist who fought for Native American treaty fishing rights.
The shortlist also recognised two broader innovations: Indigenous ecosystem management and traditional reef-net fishing practices, and Washington’s pioneering Medic One and Medic Two programs, which helped advance emergency medical and paramedic care.
That’s some formidable company for a guitarist who helped turn feedback into an art form.
Don’t Expect Hendrix On Your Change Just Yet
There’s another detail worth knowing: the eventual coin might not actually feature Hendrix’s face.
Under the American Innovation $1 Coin Program, every coin carries the Statue of Liberty on its front. The reverse celebrates the selected innovator or innovation through imagery that the US Mint develops and federal authorities approve.
The US Mint will develop candidate designs in consultation with Washington officials. The US Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee will also review the proposals before the US Secretary of the Treasury makes the final decision.
No Hendrix design has been approved or publicly unveiled, according to the governor’s 9 November announcement.
For now, Washington has made its preference clear. Whether the finished coin features Hendrix himself, his guitar or another representation of his musical innovations remains to be seen.
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