Safekipedia50 State quarters
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
The 50 State quarters were special coins made by the United States Mint. They were made from 1999 through 2008, and each coin had a unique design showing something special about one of the 50 US states. These coins were put into regular money that people used every day.
The idea behind these coins was to help people learn more about collecting coins. Many people loved collecting these quarters, and it became one of the most popular coin collections in the history of the United States. Because so many people collected them, the US federal government made a lot of money from people taking the coins out of regular use.
After finishing the coins for all 50 states, the US Mint started making new coins for other places like the District of Columbia and some US territories. These new coins showed designs for places such as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Origins
The 50 State Quarters program was inspired by a similar project in Canada in 1992, called "Canada 125." This Canadian program celebrated the country’s 125th anniversary with special coins for each of its provinces and territories. It sparked interest in coin collecting in Canada, which led some people in the United States to suggest a similar idea for American coins.
After several discussions and support from different groups, including a committee that advises on coin designs, the idea was finally approved by Congress in 1997. This led to the creation of the 50 State Quarters series, with each state getting its own special quarter.
50 State Quarters Program
The 50 State quarters were special coins made by the United States Mint. They came out every ten weeks, with five new ones each year. The coins were released in the order the states ratified the Constitution or were admitted to the Union. Each quarter showed a design that celebrated one of the 50 states, highlighting its special history, traditions, and symbols. Some things like state flags and pictures of people were not allowed on the coins.
Each state had a big say in choosing the design for its quarter. Most states asked their governor to collect ideas from citizens and pick a final design. In some states, the people voted to choose the design. After the designs were approved, US Mint artists made the final coins. Many people paid attention to this program, and it became very popular.
The program was the most popular commemorative coin program in United States history. By the end of 2008, all 50 state quarters had been made and released. In total, more than 34 billion quarters were created, with each state having an average of about 696 million quarters made.
Designs
District of Columbia and United States Territories release
Main article: District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters
| Year | No. | State | Release date (statehood date) | Design | Elements depicted | Engraver | Mintage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | Denver | San Francisco | |||||||
| 1999 | 1 | Delaware | January 1, 1999 (December 7, 1787) | Caesar Rodney on horseback Captions: "The First State", "Caesar Rodney" | William Cousins | 373,400,000 | 401,424,000 | 3,713,359 (proof) 804,565 (silver proof) | |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | March 8, 1999 (December 12, 1787) | Commonwealth statue, state outline, keystone symbol Caption: "Virtue, Liberty, Independence" | John Mercanti | 349,000,000 | 358,332,000 | 3,713,359 (proof) 804,565 (silver proof) | ||
| 3 | New Jersey | May 17, 1999 (December 18, 1787) | Washington Crossing the Delaware, which includes George Washington (standing) and James Monroe (holding the flag) Caption: "Crossroads of the Revolution" | Alfred Maletsky | 363,200,000 | 299,028,000 | 3,713,359 (proof) 804,565 (silver proof) | ||
| 4 | Georgia | July 19, 1999 (January 2, 1788) | Peach, live oak (state tree) sprigs, state outline Banner with text: "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" (the state motto) | T. James Ferrell | 451,188,000 | 488,744,000 | 3,713,359 (proof) 804,565 (silver proof) | ||
| 5 | Connecticut | October 12, 1999 (January 9, 1788) | Charter Oak Caption: "The Charter Oak" | T. James Ferrell | 688,744,000 | 657,880,000 | 3,713,359 (proof) 804,565 (silver proof) | ||
| 2000 | 6 | Massachusetts | January 3, 2000 (February 6, 1788) | The Minute Man statue, state outline Caption: "The Bay State" | Thomas D. Rogers | 628,600,000 | 535,184,000 | 4,020,172 (proof) 965,421 (silver proof) | |
| 7 | Maryland | March 13, 2000 (April 28, 1788) | Dome of the Maryland State House, white oak (state tree) clusters Caption: "The Old Line State" | Thomas D. Rogers | 678,200,000 | 556,532,000 | 4,020,172 (proof) 965,421 (silver proof) | ||
| 8 | South Carolina | May 22, 2000 (May 23, 1788) | Carolina wren (state bird), yellow jessamine (state flower), cabbage palmetto (state tree), state outline Caption: "The Palmetto State" | Thomas D. Rogers | 373,400,000 | 401,424,000 | 4,020,172 (proof) 965,421 (silver proof) | ||
| 9 | New Hampshire | August 7, 2000 (June 21, 1788) | Old Man of the Mountain, nine stars (representing New Hampshire as the 9th state to join the Union) Captions: "Old Man of the Mountain", "Live Free or Die" | William Cousins | 673,040,000 | 495,976,000 | 4,020,172 (proof) 965,421 (silver proof) | ||
| 10 | Virginia | October 16, 2000 (June 25, 1788) | Ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, Discovery Captions: "Jamestown, 1607–2007", "Quadricentennial" | Edgar Z. Steever | 943,000,000 | 651,616,000 | 4,020,172 (proof) 965,421 (silver proof) | ||
| 2001 | 11 | New York | January 2, 2001 (July 26, 1788) | Statue of Liberty, 11 stars (representing New York as the 11th state to join the Union), state outline with line tracing Hudson River and Erie Canal Caption: "Gateway to Freedom" | Alfred Maletsky | 619,640,000 | 655,400,000 | 3,094,140 (proof) 889,697 (silver proof) | |
| 12 | North Carolina | March 12, 2001 (November 21, 1789) | Wright Flyer, John T. Daniels's iconic photo of the Wright brothers Caption: "First Flight" | John Mercanti | 627,600,000 | 427,876,000 | 3,094,140 (proof) 889,697 (silver proof) | ||
| 13 | Rhode Island | May 21, 2001 (May 29, 1790) | America's Cup yacht Reliance on Narragansett Bay, Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge Caption: "The Ocean State" | Thomas D. Rogers | 423,000,000 | 447,100,000 | 3,094,140 (proof) 889,697 (silver proof) | ||
| 14 | Vermont | August 6, 2001 (March 4, 1791) | Maple trees with sap buckets, Camel's Hump Mountain Caption: "Freedom and Unity" | T. James Ferrell | 423,400,000 | 459,404,000 | 3,094,140 (proof) 889,697 (silver proof) | ||
| 15 | Kentucky | October 15, 2001 (June 1, 1792) | Thoroughbred racehorse behind fence, Bardstown mansion, Federal Hill Caption: "My Old Kentucky Home" | T. James Ferrell | 353,000,000 | 370,564,000 | 3,094,140 (proof) 889,697 (silver proof) | ||
| 2002 | 16 | Tennessee | January 2, 2002 (June 1, 1796) | Fiddle, trumpet, guitar, musical score, three stars Banner with text: "Musical Heritage" | Donna Weaver | 361,600,000 | 286,468,000 | 3,084,245 (proof) 892,229 (silver proof) | |
| 17 | Ohio | March 11, 2002 (March 1, 1803) | Wright Flyer III (built by the Wright Brothers who were from Dayton); astronaut; state outline Caption: "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers" | Donna Weaver | 217,200,000 | 414,832,000 | 3,084,245 (proof) 892,229 (silver proof) | ||
| 18 | Louisiana | May 20, 2002 (April 30, 1812) | Brown pelican (state bird); trumpet with musical notes, outline of Louisiana Purchase on map of US Caption: "Louisiana Purchase" | John Mercanti | 362,000,000 | 402,204,000 | 3,084,245 (proof) 892,229 (silver proof) | ||
| 19 | Indiana | August 2, 2002 (December 11, 1816) | IndyCar, state outline, 19 stars (representing Indiana as the 19th state to join the Union) Caption: "Crossroads of America" | Donna Weaver | 362,600,000 | 327,200,000 | 3,084,245 (proof) 892,229 (silver proof) | ||
| 20 | Mississippi | October 15, 2002 (December 10, 1817) | Two magnolia blossoms (state flower) Caption: "The Magnolia State" | Donna Weaver | 290,000,000 | 289,600,000 | 3,084,245 (proof) 892,229 (silver proof) | ||
| 2003 | 21 | Illinois | January 2, 2003 (December 3, 1818) | 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" | Donna Weaver | 225,800,000 | 237,400,000 | 3,408,516 (proof) 1,125,755 (silver proof) | |
| 22 | Alabama | March 17, 2003 (December 14, 1819) | Helen Keller, seated, longleaf pine (state tree) branch, magnolia blossoms Banner with text: "Spirit of Courage" Caption: "Helen Keller" in standard print and Braille | Norman E. Nemeth | 225,000,000 | 232,400,000 | 3,408,516 (proof) 1,125,755 (silver proof) | ||
| 23 | Maine | June 2, 2003 (March 15, 1820) | Pemaquid Point Lighthouse; the schooner Victory Chimes at sea | Donna Weaver | 217,400,000 | 231,400,000 | 3,408,516 (proof) 1,125,755 (silver proof) | ||
| 24 | Missouri | August 4, 2003 (August 10, 1821) | Gateway Arch, Lewis and Clark and York returning down Missouri River Caption: "Corps of Discovery 1804–2004" | Alfred Maletsky | 225,000,000 | 228,200,000 | 3,408,516 (proof) 1,125,755 (silver proof) | ||
| 25 | Arkansas | October 20, 2003 (June 15, 1836) | Diamond (state gem), rice stalks, mallard flying above a lake | John Mercanti | 228,000,000 | 229,800,000 | 3,408,516 (proof) 1,125,755 (silver proof) | ||
| 2004 | 26 | Michigan | January 26, 2004 (January 26, 1837) | State outline, outline of Great Lakes system Caption: "Great Lakes State" | Donna Weaver | 233,800,000 | 225,800,000 | 2,740,684 (proof) 1,769,786 (silver proof) | |
| 27 | Florida | March 29, 2004 (March 3, 1845) | Spanish galleon, Sabal palmetto (state tree), Space Shuttle Caption: "Gateway to Discovery" | T. James Ferrell | 240,200,000 | 241,600,000 | 2,740,684 (proof) 1,769,786 (silver proof) | ||
| 28 | Texas | June 1, 2004 (December 29, 1845) | State outline, star, lariat Caption: "The Lone Star State" | Norman E. Nemeth | 278,800,000 | 263,000,000 | 2,740,684 (proof) 1,769,786 (silver proof) | ||
| 29 | Iowa | August 30, 2004 (December 28, 1846) | Schoolhouse, teacher and students planting a tree; based on the Grant Wood painting Arbor Day Captions: "Foundation in Education", "Grant Wood" | John Mercanti | 213,800,000 | 251,400,000 | 2,740,684 (proof) 1,769,786 (silver proof) | ||
| 30 | Wisconsin | October 25, 2004 (May 29, 1848) | Head of a cow, round of cheese and ear of corn (state grain). Banner with text: "Forward" | Alfred Maletsky | 226,400,000 | 226,800,000 | 2,740,684 (proof) 1,769,786 (silver proof) | ||
| 2005 | 31 | California | January 31, 2005 (September 9, 1850) | John Muir, California condor, Half Dome Captions: "John Muir," "Yosemite Valley" | Don Everhart | 257,200,000 | 263,200,000 | 3,262,960 (proof) 1,678,649 (silver proof) | |
| 32 | Minnesota | April 4, 2005 (May 11, 1858) | Common loon (state bird), fishing, state outline Caption: "Land of 10,000 Lakes" | Charles L. Vickers | 239,600,000 | 248,400,000 | 3,262,960 (proof) 1,678,649 (silver proof) | ||
| 33 | Oregon | June 6, 2005 (February 14, 1859) | Crater Lake National Park Caption: "Crater Lake" | Donna Weaver | 316,200,000 | 404,000,000 | 3,262,960 (proof) 1,678,649 (silver proof) | ||
| 34 | Kansas | August 29, 2005 (January 29, 1861) | American bison (state mammal), sunflowers (state flower) | Norman E. Nemeth | 263,400,000 | 300,000,000 | 3,262,960 (proof) 1,678,649 (silver proof) | ||
| 35 | West Virginia | October 14, 2005 (June 20, 1863) | New River Gorge Bridge Caption: "New River Gorge" | John Mercanti | 365,400,000 | 356,200,000 | 3,262,960 (proof) 1,678,649 (silver proof) | ||
| 2006 | 36 | Nevada | January 31, 2006 (October 31, 1864) | Mustangs, mountains, rising sun, sagebrush (state flower) Banner with text: "The Silver State" | Don Everhart | 277,000,000 | 312,800,000 | 2,882,428 (proof) 1,585,008 (silver proof) | |
| 37 | Nebraska | April 3, 2006 (March 1, 1867) | Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Conestoga wagon Caption: "Chimney Rock" | Charles L. Vickers | 318,000,000 | 276,400,000 | 2,882,428 (proof) 1,585,008 (silver proof) | ||
| 38 | Colorado | June 14, 2006 (August 1, 1876) | Longs Peak Banner with text: "Colorful Colorado" | Norman E. Nemeth | 274,800,000 | 294,200,000 | 2,882,428 (proof) 1,585,008 (silver proof) | ||
| 39 | North Dakota | August 28, 2006 (November 2, 1889) | American bison, badlands | Donna Weaver | 305,800,000 | 359,000,000 | 2,882,428 (proof) 1,585,008 (silver proof) | ||
| 40 | South Dakota | November 6, 2006 (November 2, 1889) | Mount Rushmore, ring-necked pheasant (state bird), wheat (state grass) | John Mercanti | 245,000,000 | 265,800,000 | 2,882,428 (proof) 1,585,008 (silver proof) | ||
| 2007 | 41 | Montana | January 29, 2007 (November 8, 1889) | American bison skull in the center with mountains and the Missouri River in the background. Caption: "Big Sky Country" | Don Everhart | 257,000,000 | 265,240,000 | 2,374,778 (proof) 1,313,481 (silver proof) | |
| 42 | Washington | April 2, 2007 (November 11, 1889) | Salmon leaping in front of Mount Rainier Caption: "The Evergreen State" | Charles L. Vickers | 265,200,000 | 280,000,000 | 2,374,778 (proof) 1,313,481 (silver proof) | ||
| 43 | Idaho | June 4, 2007 (July 3, 1890) | Peregrine falcon, state outline with star indicating location of state capital Boise, Idaho Caption: "Esto Perpetua" | Don Everhart | 294,600,000 | 286,800,000 | 2,374,778 (proof) 1,313,481 (silver proof) | ||
| 44 | Wyoming | September 4, 2007 (July 10, 1890) | Bucking Horse and Rider Caption: "The Equality State" | Norman E. Nemeth | 243,600,000 | 320,800,000 | 2,374,778 (proof) 1,313,481 (silver proof) | ||
| 45 | Utah | November 5, 2007 (January 4, 1896) | Golden spike, Locomotives Jupiter, No. 119, and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad Caption: "Crossroads of the West" | Joseph F. Menna | 255,000,000 | 253,200,000 | 2,374,778 (proof) 1,313,481 (silver proof) | ||
| 2008 | 46 | Oklahoma | January 28, 2008 (November 16, 1907) | Scissor-tailed flycatcher (state bird), with Indian blankets (state wildflower) in background | Phebe Hemphill | 222,000,000 | 194,600,000 | 2,078,112 (proof) 1,192,908 (silver proof) | |
| 47 | New Mexico | April 7, 2008 (January 6, 1912) | State outline with relief, Zia sun symbol from flag Caption: "Land of Enchantment" | Don Everhart | 244,200,000 | 244,400,000 | 2,078,112 (proof) 1,192,908 (silver proof) | ||
| 48 | Arizona | June 2, 2008 (February 14, 1912) | Grand Canyon, saguaro cactus closeup. Banner with text: "Grand Canyon State" | Joseph F. Menna | 244,600,000 | 265,000,000 | 2,078,112 (proof) 1,192,908 (silver proof) | ||
| 49 | Alaska | August 25, 2008 (January 3, 1959) | Grizzly bear with salmon (state fish) and North Star Caption: "The Great Land" | Charles L. Vickers | 251,800,000 | 254,000,000 | 2,078,112 (proof) 1,192,908 (silver proof) | ||
| 50 | Hawaii | November 3, 2008 (August 21, 1959) | Statue of Kamehameha I with state outline and motto Caption: "Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono" | Don Everhart | 254,000,000 | 263,600,000 | 2,078,112 (proof) 1,192,908 (silver proof) | ||
Additional notes on individual designs
- Alabama: The Alabama state quarter is the first coin in the U.S. to include writing in Braille.
- Arizona: The design shows “Grand Canyon State” to separate images of the Grand Canyon and the saguaro cactus, which grows in a different part of Arizona.
- Connecticut: The Charter Oak shown on the Connecticut quarter fell in a storm in 1856. It also appeared on a coin from 1936 celebrating the state’s 300th anniversary.
- Georgia: The outline of Georgia on its quarter seems to leave out a small area in the northwest corner.
- Hawaii: The Hawaii quarter shows a statue of King Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810. It is the first U.S. coin to feature a king or queen.
- Illinois: The Illinois quarter shows a picture of Chicago’s skyline, making it the only quarter to feature an urban city directly.
- Indiana: Part of the northwest corner, including Lake County, is missing from the Indiana quarter.
- Iowa: When choosing Iowa’s design, some people wanted to honor the Sullivan brothers, five siblings from Waterloo who died during World War II. Instead, a design by artist Grant Wood was chosen.
- Maryland: The Maryland Statehouse on the quarter has the largest wooden dome in the country, built without nails. Some people wished the quarter showed the state’s famous blue crab.
- Mississippi: The magnolia blossom on the Mississippi quarter can be hard to recognize at normal size unless the state’s name is seen nearby.
- Missouri: The artist who won the contest to design the Missouri quarter said the U.S. Mint changed his design without needed reasons. The Mint said the original design could not be used for coins.
- Nebraska: One idea for Nebraska’s quarter was to show Standing Bear, a Ponca leader who helped Native Americans win rights.
- New Hampshire: The Old Man of the Mountain, shown on the New Hampshire quarter, fell down in 2003, just a few years after the coin came out.
- New Jersey: This quarter is the first coin ever to show George Washington on both sides.
- Ohio: Many famous people from Ohio are shown on the Ohio quarter, including astronauts John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, James Lovell, and Judith Resnik, as well as the Wright Brothers.
- Oregon: Oregon’s quarter shows Crater Lake and Wizard Island. The design was picked by a group of 18 people, including the governor and students.
- Rhode Island: The yacht shown on the Rhode Island quarter could not have sailed under the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge because the ship was sold long before the bridge was built.
- South Dakota: The South Dakota quarter shows Mount Rushmore, a ring-necked pheasant, and wheat. These symbols come from European settlers, not Native American traditions.
- Tennessee: Some people said the musical instruments on the Tennessee quarter did not look right, like the guitar having the wrong number of strings.
- West Virginia: Some people suggested putting the famous Mothman on the West Virginia quarter during the design process.
- Wisconsin: Some Wisconsin quarters had a small mistake: the ear of corn showed an extra leaf. These coins were made at the Denver mint and caused a lot of interest.
- Wyoming: A few Wyoming quarters came out looking rough, with cracks and quick fixes seen in the metal designs.
Year map
| Color | Year | 1st release | 2nd release | 3rd release | 4th release | 5th release | 6th release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Delaware | Pennsylvania | New Jersey | Georgia | Connecticut | —N/a | |
| 2000 | Massachusetts | Maryland | South Carolina | New Hampshire | Virginia | ||
| 2001 | New York | North Carolina | Rhode Island | Vermont | Kentucky | ||
| 2002 | Tennessee | Ohio | Louisiana | Indiana | Mississippi | ||
| 2003 | Illinois | Alabama | Maine | Missouri | Arkansas | ||
| 2004 | Michigan | Florida | Texas | Iowa | Wisconsin | ||
| 2005 | California | Minnesota | Oregon | Kansas | West Virginia | ||
| 2006 | Nevada | Nebraska | Colorado | North Dakota | South Dakota | ||
| 2007 | Montana | Washington | Idaho | Wyoming | Utah | ||
| 2008 | Oklahoma | New Mexico | Arizona | Alaska | Hawaii | ||
| 2009 | District of Columbia | Puerto Rico | Guam | American Samoa | US Virgin Islands | Northern Mariana Islands |
Collectible value
In 1997, Congress started the 50 State quarters series to help teach young people about each state, its history, and its geography. The idea was to encourage families and kids to collect these special quarters, each showing a different state.
While some quarters are more common than others, none are rare enough to be very valuable. However, some quarters had mistakes in their design, like the Wisconsin quarter, which sparked interest among collectors. These mistakes can sometimes make a quarter more valuable. For example, a set of three special Wisconsin quarters sold for $300 in 2005. Other mistakes happened with Delaware, Minnesota, and Kansas quarters too.
The United States also makes special proof coins, and some of these can be valuable, especially the first silver proof set from 1999. The program helped many people become interested in collecting coins, with many companies advertising products related to the quarters.
Seigniorage
Further information: Seigniorage
The 50 State Quarters Program was meant to increase how much people wanted quarters, which they would collect and take out of regular use. The Mint, which makes money for the government, used special math to guess how much extra money the program would make. They thought it might be between $2.6 billion and $5.1 billion. Later, they found it was about $3 billion. They also guessed the program would make about $110 million extra in special coin money, but it turned out to be $136.2 million. These guesses helped show why the program was a good idea, and they were written into the law that started the program.
Satire
In 2001, a funny news story from The Onion made a joke saying that collecting all 50 State Quarters was the only thing keeping an older person going. Later, in 2005, the same place made another joke about new coins for counties.
The Late Night with Conan O'Brien television show also made up silly designs for the state quarters just for fun. Artist Daniel Carr, who helped design real quarters for New York, Rhode Island, and Maine, made funny versions too.
Images
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