The New 2024 Celia Cruz Quarter Will Put Some Pep in Your Step

If you grew up in a household across North, Central, and South America that spoke Spanish, or enjoyed the music, then you know one iconic female singer who made everything sweeter. Celia Cruz!

Celia Cruz was a very popular Cuban-American singer, born in Havana, Cuba, and made a very powerful impact in bringing Salsa music to the main stream. Celia Cruz, who was also known as the Queen of Salsa, not only sang and appeared in Spanish speaking media but English as well. Cruz did appear many times on the children's television Sesame Street where she would teach children how to count in Spanish or just perform so children could see themselves represented.

So why is the Queen of Salsa on one of the new 2024 quarters? Well this actually part of a four-year program, the American Women Quarters Program, that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States. This program began in 2022 and the U.S. Mint is issuing five new designs each year with some notable names such as Maya Angelou, Anna May Wong, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jovita Idar.

The Celia Cruz quarter will feature the her infectious smile, and her even more iconic phrase 'Azucar!' that she would shout with pride while performing some of her songs. The release date for this quarter has not been announced but it is stated to be released in 2024.