50 State Quarters designs

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The following is a list of the fifty United States quarter coin designs for the 50 State Quarters program.

1 List of designs
- 1.1 States (1999-2008)
2 Design elements
- 2.1 Stars
3 Additional notes on individual designs
4 Notes

[edit] List of designs

[edit] States (1999-2008)

State	Release Date (Statehood Date)	Mintage Figures	Elements Depicted	Engraver
Delaware	January 1, 1999 (December 7, 1787)	774,824,000	Caesar Rodney on horseback Captions: "The First State," "Caesar Rodney"	William Cousins
Pennsylvania	March 8, 1999 (December 12, 1787)	707,332,000	Commonwealth statue, state outline, keystone Caption: "Virtue, Liberty, Independence"	John Mercanti
New Jersey	May 17, 1999 (December 18, 1787)	662,228,000	Washington Crossing the Delaware which includes George Washington and James Monroe (holding flag) Caption: "Crossroads of the Revolution."	Alfred Maletsky
Georgia	July 19, 1999 (January 2, 1788)	939,932,000	Peach, Live oak sprigs, state outline Banner with text: "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation" (the state motto)	T. James Ferrell
Connecticut	October 12, 1999 (January 9, 1788)	1,346,624,000	Charter Oak Caption: "The Charter Oak"	T. James Ferrell
Massachusetts	January 3, 2000 (February 6, 1788)	1,163,784,000	The Minuteman statue, state outline Caption: "The Bay State"	Thomas D. Rodgers
Maryland	March 13, 2000 (April 28, 1788)	1,234,732,000	Dome of the Maryland state house, White oak clusters Caption: "The Old Line State"	Thomas D. Rodgers
South Carolina	May 22, 2000 (May 23, 1788)	1,308,784,000	Palmetto tree, Carolina Wren, Yellow Jessamine, state outline Caption: "The Palmetto State"	Thomas D. Rodgers
New Hampshire	August 7, 2000 (June 21, 1788)	1,169,016,000	The Old Man of the Mountain, nine stars Captions: "Old Man of the Mountain," "Live Free or Die"	William Cousins
Virginia	October 16, 2000 (June 25, 1788)	1,594,616,000	Ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, Discovery Captions: "Jamestown, 1607-2007," "Quadricentennial"	Edgar Z. Steever
New York	January 2, 2001 (July 26, 1788)	1,275,040,000	Statue of Liberty, eleven stars, state outline with line tracing Hudson River and Erie Canal Caption: "Gateway to Freedom"	Alfred Maletsky
North Carolina	March 12, 2001 (November 21, 1789)	1,055,476,000	Wright Flyer, Wilbur and Orville Wright Caption: "First Flight"	John Mercanti
Rhode Island	May 21, 2001 (May 29, 1790)	870,100,000	America's Cup yacht Reliance on Narragansett Bay, Pell Bridge Caption: "The Ocean State"	Thomas D. Rodgers
Vermont	August 6, 2001 (March 4, 1791)	882,804,000	Maple trees with sap buckets, Camel's Hump Mountain Caption: "Freedom and Unity"	T. James Ferrell
Kentucky	October 15, 2001 (June 1, 1792)	723,564,000	Thoroughbred racehorse behind fence, Bardstown mansion, Federal Hill Caption: "My Old Kentucky Home"	T. James Ferrell
Tennessee	January 2, 2002 (June 1, 1796)	648,068,000	Fiddle, trumpet, guitar, musical score, three stars Banner with text: "Musical Heritage."	Donna Weaver
Ohio	March 18, 2002 (March 1, 1803)	632,032,000	Wright Flyer, Astronaut (Neil Armstrong, first man on the Moon, is a native of Wapakoneta), state outline Caption: "Birthplace of Aviation Pioneers"	Donna Weaver
Louisiana	May 30, 2002 (April 30, 1812)	764,204,000	Pelican; trumpet with musical notes, outline of Louisiana Purchase on map of U.S. Caption: "Louisiana Purchase"	John Mercanti
Indiana	August 8, 2002 (December 11, 1816)	689,800,000	IndyCar, state outline, 19 stars Caption: "Crossroads of America"	Donna Weaver
Mississippi	October 15, 2002 (December 10, 1817)	579,600,000	Two magnolia blossoms Caption: "The Magnolia State"	Donna Weaver
Illinois	January 2, 2003 (December 3, 1818)	463,200,000	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
Alabama	March 17, 2003 (December 14, 1819)	457,400,000	Helen Keller, seated, longleaf pine branch, Magnolia blossoms Banner with text: "Spirit of Courage" Caption: "Helen Keller" in standard print and Braille.	Norman E. Nemeth
Maine	June 2, 2003 (March 15, 1820)	448,800,000	Pemaquid Point Lighthouse; schooner at sea	Donna Weaver
Missouri	August 4, 2003 (August 10, 1821)	453,200,000	Gateway Arch, Lewis and Clark returning down Missouri River Caption: "Corps of Discovery 1804-2004."	Alfred Maletsky
Arkansas	October 20, 2003 (June 15, 1836)	457,800,000	Diamond, rice stalks, mallard duck flying above a lake	John Mercanti
Michigan	January 26, 2004 (January 26, 1837)	459,600,000	State outline, outline of Great Lakes system Caption: "Great Lakes State"	Donna Weaver
Florida	March 29, 2004 (March 3, 1845)	481,800,000	Spanish galleon, Sabal palm trees, Space Shuttle Caption: "Gateway to Discovery"	T. James Ferrell
Texas	June 1, 2004 (December 29, 1845)	541,800,000	State outline, star, rope Caption: "The Lone Star State"	Norman E. Nemeth
Iowa	August 30, 2004 (December 28, 1846)	465,200,000	Schoolhouse, teacher and students planting a tree, Captions: "Foundation in Education", "Grant Wood"	John Mercanti
Wisconsin	October 25, 2004 (May 29, 1848)	453,200,000	Head of a cow, round of cheese and ear of corn. Banner with text: "Forward"	Alfred Maletsky
California	January 31, 2005 (September 9, 1850)	520,400,000	John Muir, California Condor, Half Dome, and Giant Sequoia Captions: "John Muir," "Yosemite Valley"	Don Everhart
Minnesota	April 4, 2005 (May 11, 1858)	488,000,000	Common loon, Fishing, state map Caption: "Land of 10,000 Lakes"	Charles Vickers
Oregon	June 6, 2005 (February 14, 1859)	720,200,000	Crater Lake National Park Caption: "Crater Lake"	Norman Nemeth
Kansas	August 29, 2005 (January 29, 1861)	563,400,000	American Bison, Sunflowers	Norman Nemeth
West Virginia	October 14, 2005 (June 20, 1863)	721,600,000	New River Gorge Bridge Caption: "New River Gorge"	John Mercanti
Nevada	January 31, 2006 (October 31, 1864)	589,800,000	Mustangs, mountains, rising sun, Sagebrush Banner with text: "The Silver State"	Don Everhart
Nebraska	April 3, 2006 (March 1, 1867)	591,000,000	Chimney Rock, covered wagon Caption: "Chimney Rock"	Charles Vickers
Colorado	June 14, 2006 (August 1, 1876)	569,000,000	Longs Peak Banner with text: "Colorful Colorado"	Norm Nemeth
North Dakota	August 28, 2006 (November 2, 1889)	664,800,000	Bison, badlands	Donna Weaver
South Dakota	November 6, 2006 (November 2, 1889)	510,800,000	Mount Rushmore, Ring-necked Pheasant, Wheat	John Mercanti
Montana	January 29, 2007 (November 8, 1889)	513,240,000	Bison skull in the center with mountains and the Missouri River in the background. Caption: "Big Sky Country"	Don Everhart
Washington	April 11, 2007 (November 11, 1889)	545,200,000	Salmon leaping in front of Mount Rainier Caption: "The Evergreen State"	Charles Vickers
Idaho	June 5, 2007^[1] (July 3, 1890)	581,400,000	Peregrine falcon, state outline Caption: "Esto Perpetua"	Donna Weaver
Wyoming	September 4, 2007 (July 10, 1890)	564,400,000	Outline of a bucking bronco, Caption: "The Equality State"	Norman E. Nemeth
Utah	November 5, 2007 (January 4, 1896)	508,200,000	Golden Spike and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad Caption: Crossroads of the West	Joseph Menna
Oklahoma	January 28, 2008 (November 16, 1907)	TBA	Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, with Indian Blankets (the state wildflower) in background	Phebe Hemphill
New Mexico	April 7, 2008 (January 6, 1912)	TBA	State outline, Zia Sun Symbol from flag Caption: "Land of Enchantment"	Don Everhart
Arizona	June 2, 2008 (February 14, 1912)	TBA	Grand Canyon, Saguaro closeup. Caption: "Grand Canyon State"	Joseph Menna
Alaska	August 23, 2008 (January 3, 1959)	TBA	Grizzly bear with salmon and North Star Caption: "The Great Land"	Charles Vickers
Hawaii	November 4, 2008 (August 21, 1959)	TBA	Statue of Kamehameha I with state outline and motto Caption: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono	Don Everhart

Quarter-dollar coin images from the United States Mint.

[edit] Design elements

[edit] Stars

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 either ratified the Constitution (New Hampshire and New York) or was admitted as a state (Indiana and Illinois). 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, and Alaska has a star representing the North Star, a symbol of "the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union".

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[edit] Additional notes on individual designs

Alabama: The Alabama state quarter is the first coin circulated in the U.S. that features Braille writing. It also is the first coin circulated in the U.S. featuring a member of the Socialist Party.

Arizona: The banner reading "Grand Canyon State" in the design is intended to split the quarter into two sections and indicate the Grand Canyon and the saguaro cactus are in two different Arizona scenes, as the saguaro cactus is not found near the Grand Canyon.^[2]

Colorado: William Eugene Rollins designed the quarter in a contest held in 2005. The quarter shows the landscape of Colorado's nature side with a mountain and pine trees.

Connecticut: The Charter Oak on the back of the Connecticut quarter fell during a storm on August 21, 1856. It also appears on a 1936 half dollar commemorating the 300th anniversary of the state's settlement by Europeans.

District of Columbia: Some of the design narratives submitted by the District government were rejected by the mint because the motto "Taxation Without Representation" was deemed controversial.^[3]

Hawaii: The Hawaii quarter features a rendition of the statue of Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810, with the state outline and motto. This is the only royalty to appear on US currency.

Illinois: The Illinois quarter is the only quarter to directly reference and portray an urban city, with a picture of the Chicago skyline. It is also the first coin to feature George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on the same coin.

Indiana: The Indiana quarter — having a problem similar to Georgia's quarter — is missing part of its northwestern corner. Lake County is either partially or completely missing (where it borders with Lake Michigan). The error did not garner considerable notice.

Iowa: When Iowans were debating the design for its state quarter in 2002, there was a grassroots effort to use a design featuring the Sullivan brothers (to honor the five Waterloo siblings who died when the ship they were aboard — the USS Juneau (CL-52) — sank during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 1942). The effort was ultimately unsuccessful, and a Grant Wood design was used, but not before some copyright issues were resolved.^[4]^[5]

Minnesota: Many safety groups^{[citation needed]} are pointing out the fact that on the state quarter, the men fishing from the boat are not wearing life jackets.

Missouri: 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 not coinable, but a private mint later demonstrated that it was. It emerged that Mint engravers hold a monopoly on the design of U.S. coinage, and the term "design contest" was dropped from solicitations for ideas for later state quarters.^[6]^[7]

Nebraska: 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.

New Hampshire: The Old Man of the Mountain, featured on the back of the New Hampshire quarter, collapsed in 2003.

Oregon: Oregon's design features a scene of Crater Lake and Wizard Island. This design was chosen by the Oregon Commemorative Quarter Commission. The Quarter Commission was made up of 18 members, including Governor Ted Kulongoski, State Treasurer Randall Edwards, Columbia Sportswear Chairperson Gert Boyle, numismatist Monte Mensing, Beaverton High School student Laura Davis, along with state congresspersons Charles Starr, Joan Dukes, Betsy Johnson, and Betsy Close, among others. The Quarter Commission chose the Crater Lake design from three other finalists: a jumping salmon, the Oregon Trail, and Mt. Hood.

South Dakota: Although South Dakota has the second highest proportion of American Indians of any state, the South Dakota quarter features three items that are the result of European settlement. These symbols are Mount Rushmore, which is carved into the Black Hills which are seen as sacred by the Lakota, a pheasant (an exotic species), and wheat, which has replaced tens of thousands of square miles of diverse grasslands.

Tennessee: 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.

West Virginia: 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.^{[citation needed]}

Wisconsin: A number of the Wisconsin quarters featured a small mint error: the ear of corn features an extra leaf. Some of the affected coins feature a "low leaf", others feature a "high leaf". All of these "error coins" were minted at the Denver mint. It is unclear whether the error was deliberate or accidental, but the error has sparked a collector frenzy. Sets of the flawed coins have been sold on eBay for up to $2800.^[8]^[9]

Wyoming: Some Wyoming quarters were released in 2007 with indications of inadequate quality control. Many persons, upon first seeing the same cowboy outline design used on the state's automobile license plates, have mistakently believed that the lack of detail is itself a flaw, the result of an incomplete striking. However, evidence of cracks in the die and subsequent hasty repairs have been observed in a few circulation specimens.