State Quarters

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.

Trivia

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.

Related Topics:
Chattanooga Times-Free Press - Dade County

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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.

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The Charter Oak on the back of the Connecticut quarter fell during a storm on August 21, 1856.

Related Topics:
Charter Oak - August 21 - 1856

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

Related Topics:
Old Man of the Mountain - 2003

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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.

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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.

Related Topics:
East Tennessee - Middle Tennessee - West Tennessee

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One of the final concepts for the Tennessee quarter was based on the Native American leader Sequoyah, who created the Cherokee alphabet.

Related Topics:
Native American - Sequoyah - Cherokee alphabet

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The Alabama quarter is the first coin circulated in the U.S. that features braille.

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On May 4, 2005, The Onion ran a satirical news story titled "U.S. Mint Gears Up To Issue Commemorative County Pennies".

Related Topics:
May 4 - 2005 - The Onion

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