The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) has released the design candidates for the 2021 congressional gold medals honoring Dr. Christine Daren and Katherine Johnson of “Hidden Figures” fame. The committee met on November 17, 2020 and have narrowed down the potential designs of the two medals to roughly a dozen each.
The law authorizing the congressional gold medals was passed on November 8, 2019 and is aimed “To award Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden, to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, and to award a Congressional Gold Medal to honor all of the women who contributed to the success of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration during the Space Race.“
These are the design candidates for the Katherine Johnson gold medal
These are the candidates for the Dr. Christine Darden gold medal
A final design will be selected likely in early 2021 with the medals to be awarded next year.
The CCAC was established in 2003 by Congress under Public Law 108-15 to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on the themes and designs of all US coins and medals. The CCAC serves as an informed, experienced and impartial resource to the Secretary of the Treasury and represents the interests of American citizens and collectors. You can visit the CCAC website or visit the CCAC section of the United States Mint’s site to get updates on upcoming meetings as well as minutes from previous meetings.