50 State quarters

2006_Quarter_Proof

2008_HI_Proof

1999_DE_Proof

1999_PA_Proof

1999_NJ_Proof

1999_GA_Proof

1999_CT_Proof

50 State Quarters

The 50 State Quarters program was a 10-year initiative that honored each of the 50 United States with a unique quarter design. The program ran from 1999 to 2008, with five new quarters released each year in the order that the states ratified the Constitution or were admitted to the Union.

History

The program was authorized by the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 1, 1997. The goal was to create a new series of quarters that would generate interest in coin collecting and educate the public about the history and geography of the United States.

Design

Each quarter's reverse design features a unique image representing the state, chosen through a process that involved state governors, state legislatures, and the United States Mint. The obverse side of the quarters continued to feature the profile of George Washington, but with a modified design to accommodate the new reverse images.

Release Schedule

The quarters were released in the following order:

1. Delaware
2. Pennsylvania
3. New Jersey
4. Georgia
5. Connecticut
6. Massachusetts
7. Maryland
8. South Carolina
9. New Hampshire
10. Virginia
11. New York
12. North Carolina
13. Rhode Island
14. Vermont
15. Kentucky
16. Tennessee
17. Ohio
18. Louisiana
19. Indiana
20. Mississippi
21. Illinois
22. Alabama
23. Maine
24. Missouri
25. Arkansas
26. Michigan
27. Florida
28. Texas
29. Iowa
30. Wisconsin
31. California
32. Minnesota
33. Oregon
34. Kansas
35. West Virginia
36. Nevada
37. Nebraska
38. Colorado
39. North Dakota
40. South Dakota
41. Montana
42. Washington
43. Idaho
44. Wyoming
45. Utah
46. Oklahoma
47. New Mexico
48. Arizona
49. Alaska
50. Hawaii

Impact

The 50 State Quarters program was highly successful, both in terms of public interest and financial impact. It is estimated that approximately half of the U.S. population collected the quarters, and the program generated significant revenue for the U.S. Treasury.

Related Pages

• United States Mint
• Quarter (United States coin)
• District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters
• America the Beautiful quarters