Following the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, the Electoral College unanimously elected George Washington to serve as the United States’ first President. The former General and Commander in Chief of the Continental Army served two terms as president, holding the office from 1789 to 1797. President Washington himself laid the cornerstone for the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on September 18, 1793.

The obverse depicts an image of George Washington and his years served in office. The reverse shows a view of the Statue of Liberty that is common to all presidential dollar coins, along with the inscriptions "United States of America" and "$1." These coins feature edge-incused inscriptions of the year of issue, "E Pluribus Unum," "In God We Trust" and the mint mark. Due to the minting process used on the circulating coins, the edge-incused inscription positions will vary with each coin.