United States quarter

United States quarter, also known as the quarter dollar, is a coin of the United States valued at 25 cents, or one-fourth of a U.S. dollar. It has been produced since 1796 in various designs and compositions. The quarter is one of the most widely circulated and used coins in the United States.

History

The first quarters were struck in 1796, following the establishment of the United States Mint in 1792. The initial design featured the Bust of Liberty on the obverse and an eagle on the reverse. Over the years, the quarter has undergone numerous redesigns. The most notable design changes include the Barber quarter (1892–1916), the Standing Liberty quarter (1916–1930), and the Washington quarter, introduced in 1932 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth. The Washington quarter design has been the standard since then, with minor changes and special editions, such as the 50 State Quarters program initiated in 1999.

Design

The current design features the profile of George Washington on the obverse, originally created by John Flanagan. Since 1999, the reverse side has seen various designs through programs like the 50 State Quarters, the America the Beautiful Quarters, and others, each highlighting different aspects of American heritage and landmarks.

Composition

The composition of the quarter has changed over time. Initially, quarters were made of silver. However, due to the rising cost of silver, the composition was changed in 1965 to a clad composition of copper and nickel, known as Cupronickel. This composition remains to this day, consisting of a core of pure copper, with an outer layer of a mixture of copper and nickel.

Collecting

Quarter collecting became especially popular with the introduction of the 50 State Quarters program, which ran from 1999 to 2008. This program featured unique designs for each of the 50 U.S. states, released in the order that the states ratified the Constitution or were admitted to the Union. Following this, the America the Beautiful Quarters program was launched in 2010, aiming to feature national parks and sites from each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. These programs have sparked interest in coin collecting among the public.

Circulation and Use

Quarters are widely used in everyday transactions in the United States. They are essential for various machines and services, such as parking meters, laundry machines, and arcade games. Despite the rise of digital payments, the quarter remains a significant part of the U.S. currency system due to its practicality for small transactions.

See Also

• United States Mint
• Coin collecting
• 50 State Quarters
• America the Beautiful Quarters

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