History of the Washington

Statehood Quarter

(1999-2008)

All 50 Statehood Quarters share this obverse design of George Washington. The major changes on the obverse design are the movement of the date to the reverse. The words IN GOD WE TRUST has been moved from the left to just above
and to the right of Washington's hair ribbon. The word LIBERTY has been reduced in size and moved from the top to the left just below Washington's chin where the IN GOD WE TRUST was previously located. Moved from the reverse to the obverse are the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA placed above Washington's bust. Placed below the bust are the words QUARTER DOLLAR.

Each of the fifty states will be represented by a new design. The designs are unique for each state. Three to five designs are first reviewed by the US Mint to deem their coinability. After the US Mint has screened the designs, they are then submitted to the Governor of the State so he or she can choose the final design. The major reverse change besides the state design is the movement of the words E PLURIBUS UNUM from the top to the bottom. The minting date is located just above these words. The date just below the State Name is the year the state was admitted to the union. These new quarters will be released in the same
order that the individual states were admitted into the union. The Treasury will release a total of five Statehood Quarter designs each year; approximately one every ten weeks. Therefore, the Statehood Quarter Program will last a total of ten years.

The first was the Delaware Quarter issued in January of 1999. The five that are being released in 1999 are: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.

The Statehood Quarters have the exact same weight, diameter, and composition as the Washington Quarters (1965-1998). Their composition is 75% Copper and 25% Nickel outer shell bonded to a pure copper middle. The weight of these clad quarters is 5.67 grams. The one exception is the San Francisco Silver Proof Editions which are composed of 90% Silver and 10% Copper. These 90% Silver Proof Quarters have a weight of 6.25 grams. All Statehood Quarters are 24.3 mm in diameter. The edges of both the clad and the silver pieces are reeded.

The new Statehood Quarters are being produced in Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. The Philadelphia and Denver issues are being released into general circulation. You can distinguish these two by the mint mark, either 'P' or 'D', located on the obverse just below the word
"trust".

The San Francisco Mint is striking Proof Editions only. These are special coins stuck at low speed, by highly polished dies, onto hand-selected planchets. Proof Edition coins are not intended for circulation; they are produced for expressly for collectors. The San Francisco Proof Edition Quarters are being produced in both Cupro-Nickel and in 90% Silver. According to advance statements from the Treasury, the Proof Editions of each year's five designs will be available in the fall of each year, respectively.

Terms and Mint Marks

BU (Brilliant Uncirculated): A strictly uncirculated coin with attractive mint luster but noticeable detracting contact marks or minor blemishes.

PR (Proof): Proof refers to a method of manufacture. A Proof Edition coin is struck at low speed, by highly polished dies, on hand-selected planchets. The result is a very high quality coin that will have a mirror-finished background and frosted features. Proof Edition coins are not intended for circulation; they are produced for expressly for collectors and are sold by the U.S. Mint in sets for a premium above their face value. Proof Editions of the new Statehood Quarters are produced only at the San Francisco Mint.

90%: Is a reference to the composition of some of the San Francisco Proofs which are 90% silver.

P (Philadelphia): The 'P' mint mark is located on the obverse, on the right side, just below "In God We Trust".

D (Denver): The 'D' mint mark is located on the obverse, on the right side, just below "In God We Trust".

S (San Francisco): The 'S' mint mark is located on the obverse, on the right side, just below "In God We Trust".

 

Release Schedule for Each Year:

1999
Delaware
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Georgia
Connecticut

2000
Massachusetts
Maryland
South Carolina
New Hampshire
Virginia

2001
New York
North Carolina
Rhode Island
Vermont
Kentucky

2002
Tennesse
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

Return to About Dire Wolf Auctions