25 Cents "Washington Quarter" Celia Cruz

Reverse

A dynamic depiction of Celia Cruz flashing her dazzling smile while performing in a rumba-style dress. Her signature catchphrase “¡AZÚCAR!” is inscribed on the right.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
¡AZÚCAR!
E PLURIBUS UNUM
25₵
CELIA CRUZ

Engraver: Phebe Hemphill

Designer: Phebe Hemphill

Edge

Reeded

Comment

The obverse (heads) depicts a portrait of George Washington, originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser to mark George Washington’s 200th birthday. A recommended design for the 1932 quarter, then-Treasury Secretary Mellon ultimately selected the familiar John Flannigan design.

Celia Cruz, often called the Queen of Salsa, brought a vivacity to her stage performances that filled her music as well as the stage. She was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1925, where she began singing and attended a music academy in the late 1940s. In 1950 she joined a popular Cuban orchestra, La Sonora Matancera, and following the political upheaval of the Cuban revolution she and most of the orchestra members emigrated& from Cuba to the United States by way of a performance tour in Mexico. Cruz's popularity in the United States helped bring salsa into the public eye, and she flourished despite being in a genre with primarily male artists. Collaborations with Tito Puente, Johnny Pacheco, and the Fania All Stars, among others, also helped to increase her audience and the popularity of Latino music in the United States.

Interesting fact

Price

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 25 Cents "Washington Quarter" (Celia Cruz) 2024 coin.