What is the James Madison dollar coin?

The James Madison dollar is part of the Presidential $1 coin collection produced by the U.S. Mint. The U.S. Mint rolled out the program to honor the U.S. Presidents, issuing four new coins a year in the order the presidents served.

The James Madison dollar was the fourth in the series when the coins were released in 2007 because he was the fourth president of the United States, serving in office from 1809 to 1817. The U.S. Mint released the coin in November of 2007. James Madison helped craft the Constitution of the United States, co-authored The Federalist Papers and asked Congress to declare war on Great Britain. His efforts helped shaped the history of the nation.