1 US dollar 2024 Illinois – Steel plow

Illinois farmer and blacksmith John Lane changed the landscape of agriculture when he created the first steel plow from a sawmill blade. As America expanded westward in the 19th century, traditional farm wooden plows struggled from the soft soil of the East Coast to the hard, compacted plains of the Midwest. John Lane’s steel plow made short work of the Midwestern sod and laid the foundation for the region now known as “America’s Bread Basket.” Despite the success and popularity of his invention, John Lane never patented the steel plow, but continued to make it by hand and at the request of other farmers. Because he did not patent the invention, other blacksmiths across the country were able to produce their own steel plows, which forever changed the lives of American farmers and the nation that relied on them.

Series: American Innovation
Face value: 1 USD
Weight: 8.1 g
Diameter: 26.5mm

American Innovation, $ 1, is dedicated to the pioneering achievement of individuals or groups in every state, county and every territory in the United States. The program started in 2018. Coins are issued in the order of entry of the states into the union.