Steve Jobs has been nominated by California Governor Gavin Newsom to be featured on the state’s American Innovation Coin. The coin, part of a program launched in 2018 by the U.S. Mint, aims to celebrate American ingenuity by highlighting innovations and innovators from each state, territory, and the District of Columbia.
The nomination was presented this week by Dee Dee Myers, Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC). The committee will make design recommendations to the Treasury Secretary for final approval. The coin is expected to be produced and available in 2026.
Governor Newsom stated that “Innovation and California are synonymous,” emphasizing that Steve Jobs represents a unique brand of innovation not solely driven by business but aimed at changing the world.
Jobs’ contributions span multiple industries. He co-founded Pixar Animation Studios, which created “Toy Story,” the first fully computer-animated feature film. As co-founder and CEO of Apple, he introduced groundbreaking products such as the Apple II and Macintosh computers. His goal was to make sophisticated technology accessible and enjoyable for everyone, leading to innovations like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
Reflecting on his work ethos, Jobs once said his aim was to “bridge the gap between sophisticated technology and ‘the rest of us’ who make up most of humanity…to make complex technology easy to use and fun to use.” His focus on user-friendly technology helped connect people globally.
Jobs also noted California’s spirit of experimentation: “California has a sense of experimentation about it, and a sense of openness about it—openness and new possibility—that I really didn’t appreciate till I went to other places.”
The U.S. Mint leads this project with support from state nominations like California’s choice of Steve Jobs.
