Starting Monday you can buy $1 U.S. Mint coins honoring Maryland

WASHINGTON — Monday at noon, the United States Mint will open sales for $1 coins honoring Maryland.

The tails side recognizes the Hubble Space Telescope, one of the largest and most versatile space telescopes.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Space Telescope Science Institute, both based in Maryland, manage the Hubble Space Telescope.

Maryland's coin is part of multi-year series by American Innovation, which celebrates and pays tribute to ingenuity and pioneering efforts from all 50 states, and U.S. territories.

“The Hubble Space Telescope is an important research tool that provides critical information about the universe, which has led to many scientific discoveries," said Mint Director David J. Ryder. "Data transmitted by Hubble has helped refine estimates of the age of the universe, trace the growth of galaxies, identify and study planets, identify black holes, and observe stars.”

Chief Engraver Joe Menna created and sculpted the tails side.

The heads side shows the Statue of Liberty and reads “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “$1.”

Mint artists Justin Kunz and Phebe Hemphill teamed up to design the heads side of the coin.

The coins are not circulated and are produced at the Mint’s Philadelphia and Denver facilities. Click here to purchase one.