Jimi Hendrix could soon have a place in your pocket. The late guitar legend has been chosen to represent Washington state in the U.S. Mint’s American Innovation $1 Coin Program, which issues limited-run coins celebrating notable American innovators.
Hendrix is the first musician selected for the initiative, which began in 2019 and recognizes notable innovators and inventions from across the country. Previous selections include Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for California and NASA for Texas. The 57-coin series will also include representatives from the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson made the final selection from a shortlist of five candidates put forward by a committee, citing both Hendrix’s musical achievements and his connection to the state.
“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,” Ferguson says.
Hendrix’s nomination is now with the U.S. Mint, which will develop a design for the coin. The Secretary of the Treasury has final approval, and the finished dollar is scheduled to enter circulation in 2029.
Born in Seattle in 1942, Hendrix left his hometown to pursue a career as a musician, initially backing artists including Little Richard and the Isley Brothers. His breakthrough came after moving to England in 1966 and forming the Jimi Hendrix Experience with British musicians Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. Within months, his explosive playing had made him the talk of the London music scene, leaving established stars like Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend scrambling .
Hendrix approached the electric guitar as an instrument with possibilities that extended far beyond conventional playing. He turned amplifier feedback into a musical tool, pushed fuzz and wah effects into new territory and combined the language of the blues with psychedelic rock. His performances also helped establish the Fender Stratocaster as one of rock’s defining instruments.
Nearly six decades after his death in 1970, Hendrix remains a touchstone for guitarists across generations. His combination of blues phrasing, psychedelic experimentation and fearless use of distortion and feedback helped expand the instrument’s vocabulary — and his recordings continue to offer a daunting benchmark for anyone who picks up an electric guitar.
