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The 50 State Quarters program is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. Between 1999 and 2008 (anticipated completion date), it features each of the United States' 50 individual U.S. states on unique designs for the reverse of the quarter.
The state quarter program
During the program, a new statehood quarter is released by the United States Mint every "quintile," or 1/5th of a year (73 days); five designs are released each year. Each quarter's reverse celebrates one of the 50 states with a design honoring its unique history, traditions and symbols, usually designed by a resident of that state and chosen by the state government.
The quarters are released in the same order that the states joined the Union. The obverse of each quarter is the same, but is a redesign over the previous design of the quarter.
The statehood quarters program has become one of the most popular commemorative coin programs in United States history; the United States Mint has estimated that over one hundred million individuals have collected state quarters, either formally or informally.
Although the statehood program is, by legislation, intended to include only the 50 states, legislation has twice been introduced in Congress to extend the program an additional year to include the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. As of June 2005, this legislation had not yet reached a floor vote.
However, the 1997 act that authorized the statehood quarter program provided that if any territories, commonwealths, or the federal district became states before 2009, that new state would get a quarter.
Quarter details
State</TD>
<TH>Release Date
(Statehood Date)</TD>
<TH>Mintage Numbers</TD>
<TH>Design</TD>
<TH>Elements Depicted</TD>
|
<TR align=center>
<TD>Delaware</TD>
<TD>January 1, 1999
(December 7, 1787)
<TD>774,824,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Delaware quarter, reverse side, 1999.jpg</TD>
<TD>Caesar Rodney on horseback
Captions: "The First State," "Caesar Rodney"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Pennsylvania</TD>
<TD>March 8, 1999
(December 12, 1787)
<TD>707,332,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Pennsylvania quarter, reverse side, 1999.jpg</TD>
<TD>"Commonwealth" statue, state outline, keystone
Captions: "Virtue, Liberty, Independence"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>New Jersey</TD>
<TD>May 17, 1999
(December 18, 1787)
<TD>662,228,000</TD>
<TD>Image:New Jersey quarter, reverse side, 1999.jpg</TD>
<TD>"Washington Crossing the Delaware"
Caption: "Crossroads of the Revolution."</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Georgia</TD>
<TD>July 19, 1999
(January 2, 1788)
<TD>939,932,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Georgia quarter, reverse side, 1999.jpg</TD>
<TD>Peach, Live oak sprigs, state outline
Banner with text: "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Connecticut</TD>
<TD>October 12, 1999
(January 9, 1788)
<TD>1,346,624,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Connecticut quarter, reverse side, 1999.jpg</TD>
<TD>Charter Oak
Caption: "The Charter Oak"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Massachusetts</TD>
<TD>January 3, 2000
(February 6, 1788)
<TD> 1,163,784,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:Massachusetts quarter, reverse side, 2000.jpg</TD>
<TD>"The Minuteman" statue, state outline
Caption: "The Bay State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Maryland</TD>
<TD>March 13, 2000
(April 28, 1788)
<TD> 1,234,732,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:Maryland quarter, reverse side, 2000.jpg</TD>
<TD>Dome of the Maryland state house, White oak clusters
Caption: "The Old Line State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>South Carolina</TD>
<TD>May 22, 2000
(May 23, 1788)
<TD> 1,308,784,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:South Carolina quarter, reverse side, 2000.jpg</TD>
<TD>Palmetto tree, Carolina Wren, yellow jessamine, state outline
Caption: "The Palmetto State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>New Hampshire</TD>
<TD>August 7, 2000
(June 21, 1788)
<TD> 1,169,016,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:New Hampshire quarter, reverse side, 2000.jpg</TD>
<TD>"The Old Man of the Mountain," nine stars
Captions: "Old Man of the Mountain," "Live Free or Die"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Virginia</TD>
<TD>October 16, 2000
(June 25, 1788)
<TD> 1,594,616,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:Virginia quarter, reverse side, 2000.jpg</TD>
<TD> Ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, Discovery
Captions: "Jamestown, 1607-2007," "Quadricentennial"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>New York</TD>
<TD>January 2, 2001
(July 26, 1788)
<TD> 1,275,040,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:New York quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg</TD>
<TD>Statue of Liberty, eleven stars, state outline with line tracing Hudson River and Erie Canal
Caption: "Gateway to Freedom"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>North Carolina</TD>
<TD>March 12, 2001
(November 21, 1789)
<TD> 1,055,476,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:North Carolina quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg</TD>
<TD>Wright Flyer, Wilbur and Orville Wright
Caption: "First Flight"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Rhode Island</TD>
<TD>May 21, 2001
(May 29, 1790)
<TD>870,100,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Rhode Island quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg</TD>
<TD>Vintage sailboat in Narragansett Bay, Pell Bridge
Caption: "The Ocean State"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Vermont</TD>
<TD>August 6, 2001
(March 4, 1791)
<TD>882,804,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Vermont quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg</TD>
<TD>Maple trees with sap buckets, Camel's Hump Mountain
Caption: "Freedom and Unity"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Kentucky</TD>
<TD>October 15, 2001
(June 1, 1792)
<TD>723,564,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Kentucky quarter, reverse side, 2001.jpg</TD>
<TD>Thoroughbred racehorse behind fence, Federal Hill mansion
Caption: "My Old Kentucky Home"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Tennessee</TD>
<TD>January 2, 2002
(June 1, 1796)
<TD>648,068,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Tennessee quarter, reverse side, 2002.jpg</TD>
<TD>Fiddle, trumpet, guitar, musical score, three stars
Banner with text: "Musical Heritage."</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Ohio</TD>
<TD>March 18, 2002
(March 1, 1803)
<TD>632,032,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Ohio quarter, reverse side, 2002.jpg</TD>
<TD>Wright Flyer, spacesuit, state outline
Caption: "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Louisiana</TD>
<TD>May 30, 2002
(April 30, 1812)
<TD>764,204,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Louisiana quarter, reverse side, 2002.jpg</TD>
<TD>Pelican; trumpet with musical notes, outline of Louisiana Purchase on map of U.S.
Caption: "Louisiana Purchase"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Indiana</TD>
<TD>August 2, 2002
(December 11, 1816)
<TD>689,800,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Indiana quarter, reverse side, 2002.jpg</TD>
<TD>Racecar, state outline, 19 stars
Caption: "Crossroads of America"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Mississippi</TD>
<TD>October 15, 2002
(December 10, 1817)
<TD>579,600,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Mississippi quarter, reverse side, 2002.jpg</TD>
<TD>Two magnolia blossoms
Caption: "The Magnolia State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Illinois</TD>
<TD>January 2, 2003
(December 3, 1818)
<TD>463,200,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Illinois quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg</TD>
<TD>Young Abraham Lincoln; farm scene; Chicago skyline; state outline; 21 stars, 11 on left edge and 10 on right
Captions: "Land of Lincoln;" "21st state/century."</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Alabama</TD>
<TD>March 17, 2003
(December 14, 1819)
<TD>457,400,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Alabama quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg</TD>
<TD>Helen Keller, seated, longleaf pine branch, Magnolia blossoms
Banner with text: "Spirit of Courage"
Caption: "Helen Keller" in standard print and Braille.</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Maine</TD>
<TD>June 2, 2003
(March 15, 1820)
<TD>448,800,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Maine quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg</TD>
<TD>Pemaquid Point Light; schooner at sea</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Missouri</TD>
<TD>August 4, 2003
(August 10, 1821)
<TD>453,200,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Missouri quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg</TD>
<TD>Gateway Arch, Lewis and Clark returning down Missouri River
Caption: "Corps of Discovery 1804-2004."
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Arkansas</TD>
<TD>October 20, 2003
(June 15, 1836)
<TD>457,800,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Arkansas quarter, reverse side, 2003.jpg</TD>
<TD>Diamond, rice stalks, mallard duck flying above a lake</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Michigan</TD>
<TD>January 26, 2004
(January 26, 1837)
<TD>459,600,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Michigan quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg</TD>
<TD>State outline, outline of Great Lakes system
Caption: "Great Lakes State"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Florida</TD>
<TD>March 29, 2004
(March 3, 1845)
<TD>481,800,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Florida quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg</TD>
<TD>Spanish galleon, Sabal palm trees, Space Shuttle
Caption: "Gateway to Discovery"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Texas</TD>
<TD>June 1, 2004
(December 29, 1845)
<TD>541,800,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Texas quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg</TD>
<TD>State outline, star
Caption: "The Lone Star State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Iowa</TD>
<TD>August 30, 2004
(December 28, 1846)
<TD> 465,200,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:Iowa quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg</TD>
<TD>Schoolhouse, teacher and students planting a tree,
Captions: "Foundation in Education", "Grant Wood"
</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Wisconsin</TD>
<TD>October 25, 2004
(May 29, 1848)
<TD> 453,200,000 </TD>
<TD>Image:Wisconsin quarter, reverse side, 2004.jpg</TD>
<TD>Head of a cow, round of cheese and ear of corn.
Caption: "Forward"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>California</TD>
<TD>January 31, 2005
(September 9, 1850)
<TD>520,400,000</TD>
<TD>Image:California quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg</TD>
<TD>John Muir, California Condor and Half Dome
Caption: "Yosemite Valley"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Minnesota</TD>
<TD>April 4, 2005
(May 11, 1858)
<TD>488,000,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Minnesota quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg</TD>
<TD>Common loon, Fishing, state map
Caption: "Land of 10,000 Lakes"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Oregon</TD>
<TD>June 6, 2005
(February 14, 1859)
<TD>720,200,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Oregon quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg</TD>
<TD> Crater Lake National Park
Caption: "Crater Lake"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Kansas</TD>
<TD>August 29, 2005
(January 29, 1861)
<TD> 563,400,000</TD>
<TD>Image:Kansas quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg</TD>
<TD>American Bison, Sunflowers</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center bgcolor="#FFFF96">
<TD>West Virginia</TD>
<TD>(14 October, 2005)
(June 20, 1863)
<TD>Current, TBA</TD>
<TD>Image:West Virginia quarter, reverse side, 2005.jpg</TD>
<TD>New River Gorge Bridge
Caption: "New River Gorge"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Nevada</TD>
<TD>2006
(October 31, 1864)
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Image:Nevada Q.jpg</TD>
<TD>Mustangs, mountains, rising sun
Caption: "The Silver State"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Nebraska</TD>
<TD>2006
(March 1, 1867)
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Image:Nebraska Q.gif</TD>
<TD>Chimney Rock, covered wagon
Caption: "Chimney Rock"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Colorado</TD>
<TD>2006
(August 1, 1876)
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Image:State Quarter, Colorado Accepted Design.jpg</TD>
<TD>Rocky Mountains
Caption: "Colorful Colorado"</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>North Dakota</TD>
<TD>2006
(November 2, 1889)
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Image:NDakota Q.jpg</TD>
<TD>Bison, grassland</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>South Dakota</TD>
<TD>2006
(November 2, 1889)
<TD> </TD>
<TD>Image:SDakota Q.jpg</TD>
<TD>Mount Rushmore, Ring-necked Pheasant</TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Montana</TD>
<TD>2007
(November 8, 1889)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Washington</TD>
<TD>2007
(November 11, 1889)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Idaho</TD>
<TD>2007
(July 3, 1890)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Wyoming</TD>
<TD>2007
(July 10, 1890)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Utah</TD>
<TD>2007
(January 4, 1896)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Oklahoma</TD>
<TD>2008
(November 16, 1907)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>New Mexico</TD>
<TD>2008
(January 6, 1912)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Arizona</TD>
<TD>2008
(February 14, 1912)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Alaska</TD>
<TD>2008
(January 3, 1959)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
<TR align=center>
<TD>Hawaii</TD>
<TD>2008
(August 21, 1959)
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
<TD> </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
Quarter-dollar coin images from the United States Mint.
Year map
The following map shows the years each state is released as a State Quarter.
Image:State Quarters Year Map.png
The following table has states grouped by year.
Collectible value
The U.S. Mint designed the state quarters series, not as a potentially valuable collectible, but as a way of spurring interest in U.S. coinage - which had seen relatively few changes in design in the past 50 years - and in U.S. history. While mintage totals of the various designs vary widely – Virginia quarters are almost four times more abundant than Maine issues — none of the regular circulating issues are sufficiently rare enough to become valuable investments.
There was, however, a measure of collector interest and controversy over misprintings of the Wisconsin quarter. Some designs feature corn without a smaller leaf, others feature a small leaf pointing upwards, and still others have the leaf bending down. [1] A set of all three quarters from the Philadelphia mint sold on eBay in February 2005 for $300.
No other variations on any other state quarter issues have been noted as of 2005.
Design issues
A design contest winner for the Missouri quarter, Paul Jackson, has claimed that the Mint engraver's interpretation of the design was "dumbed down". The Mint stated that Jackson's design was uncoinable. [2]
Shortly after the Georgia quarter was released, there was an article in the Chattanooga Times-Free Press about an apparent mistake in the quarter. The outline of the state of Georgia on the quarter appears to have accidentally left out Dade County, which is the county in the extreme northwestern part of the state.
There has also been some controversy over the Tennessee quarter. Some sources claim that the details on the instruments depicted on the quarter are inaccurate, such as the number of strings on the guitar and the location of the tubing on the trumpet. One of the final designs for the Tennessee quarter, which was not selected as the final design, was created by a young woman in Dayton, Tennessee who was then in middle school.
One of the final concepts for the Tennessee quarter was based on the Native American leader Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee alphabet.
One of the final concepts for the Nebraska quarter was based on the Ponca leader Standing Bear, who, in a suit brought against the federal government, successfully argued that Native Americans were citizens entitled to rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The Charter Oak on the back of the Connecticut quarter fell during a storm on August 21, 1856.
The Old Man of the Mountain on the back of the New Hampshire quarter collapsed in 2003.
During the submission process for the design of the West Virginia quarter, there was an apparent movement to put the famous Mothman on the final design.
Several quarters have stars as part of their design. On the designs for New Hampshire, New York, Indiana, and Illinois, the stars represent the order in which the state ratified the Constitution. For example, New Hampshire has nine stars, as it is the ninth state. The three stars in the background of Tennessee's design symbolize the three grand divisions of the state; East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee, and not the state's entry number as Tennessee was the sixteenth state to be admitted to the Union. Texas has a star representing its title as the Lone Star State.
The Alabama quarter is the first coin circulated in the U.S. that features braille. It is also the only state quarter to feature a member of the Socialist Party of America.
On May 4, 2005, The Onion ran a satirical news story titled "U.S. Mint Gears Up To Issue Commemorative County Pennies".
See also
External links
