# 16 - State Quarters

Starting in 1999 the US Mint issued a 10 years program that honored each of the nation’s states in the order that they ratified the Constitution or were admitted into the Union.

They chose the $.25 coin to be the vessel of the homage. Each year five different coins representing five different states were minted.

The program lasted 10 years, ending in 2008 and it was an enormous success with the public. Many and many people awakened to coin collecting, searching their pockets looking to complete a collection of all the 50 states.

All the coins obverses show the same profile of George Washington and the reverses were usually chosen in popular contests in each state.

Here are the five coins issued in the first year, with a small explanation about each one.

The first is Delaware and this coin celebrates Caesar Rodney's historic horseback ride in 1776.
The second is Pennsylvania and features the statue, Commonwealth, with an outline of the state and their motto "Virtue, Liberty, Independence" and a keystone.

The third is New Jersey and it shows General George Washington crossing the Delaware River.
The fourth is Georgia and it features the peach, an outline of the state, a live oak sprigs and the state of Georgia's motto, "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation".
Finally the fifth is Connecticut showing the Charter Oak tree which was the hiding place for the state's original Constitution.

In the future I will show you the other state coins.

I hope you have enjoyed this article. Come back tomorrow for a look at my aviary.

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