Quarters released in 2004
Michigan was the 26th state added to the Union and hence the 26th state quarter issued. The coin features the outline of the state with a textured surface and the five Great Lakes that surround it. Four of the Great Lakes border Michigan. Other designs for the state quarter considered the Mackinac Bridge that connects the Lower Peninsula with the Upper Peninsula and an early model automobile.
- Statehood Date: Mar. 3, 1845
- Release Date: Mar. 29, 2004
- Coin Caption: "Gateway To Discovery"
The coin for the state of Florida, the 27th state, shows a Spanish Galleon, Sabal Palm trees and the Space shuttle. The Sabal Palm is the Florida state tree. The ship and the space shuttle symbolize Florida's role in exploration. The Everglades and St. Augustine were considered in other designs.
The Texas coin shows the outline of the state, an icon itself, with a single star superimposed on the state. A lariat of rope borders the perimeter of the coin face. The name Texas comes from the Indian word tejas that means "friendship", which is the state motto. Other designs included images of longhorn cattle, an oil derrick and The Alamo.
- Statehood Date: Dec. 28, 1846
- Release Date: Aug. 30, 2004
- Coin Captions: "Foundation In Education" and "Grant Wood"
The scene on the Iowa coin was taken from Grant Wood's painting, "Arbor Day. It shows a one-room school house and a teacher with students planting a tree. Other designs that had been considered were "American Gothic", probably Wood's most famous painting, and The Sullivan Brothers who were all killed on the USS Juneau during World War II .
- Statehood Date: May 29, 1848
- Release Date: Oct. 25, 2004
- Coin Caption: "Forward"
The Wisconsin state quarter features the head of a cow, a round of cheeze and an ear of corn. The Wisconsin motto "Forward" does carry some weight since they led the way in such social programs as workman's compensation and assistance for the elderly. One minting of the state quarter was defective. It showed what looked to be an extra leaf on the ear of corn. The defective coin is more valuable to collectors because of its rarity.
Quarters released in 2005
California was the 31st state of the United States. This quarter features John Muir during a hike (possibly in the Yosemite Valley), a condor in flight and Half Dome, which is a 4500 feet high granite wall shaped like a large arc. in Yosemite Valley. Muir helped found the Sierra Club.
The Minnesota coin shows two people fishing on a lake with Norway pines on the far shore. A Common Loon is in the foreground on the lake. The Common Loon is the state bird. An outline of the state with the caption "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is embossed on it. Just for the record, Wisconsin has over 15,000 lakes.
- Statehood Date: Feb. 14, 1859
- Release Date: Jun. 6, 2005
- Coin Caption: "Crater Lake"
The Oregon quarter shows a portion of Crater Lake and Wizard Island. Crater Lake, almost 2000 feet deep is the deepest lake in the United States. In the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, author Robert Pirsig described taking his young son to see Crater Lake. The boy was not impressed. He's probably not alone . It would have been impressive to see Mount Mazama collapse, which is what contributed to the formation of Crater Lake.
- Statehood Date: Jan. 29, 1861
- Release Date: Aug. 29, 2005
- Coin Caption: None
The Kansas state quarter shows the American bison and a sunflower. The American bison is the official state animal of Kansas and the sunflower is the state flower. The bison is more commonly known as the buffalo to most Americans. It was hunted almost to extiction in the 19th century.
The West Virginia state quarter displays an image of the New River Gorge Bridge. The bridge is a landmark achievement in the gorge, a place of splendid natural beauty. The New River is possibly the oldest river in the country. The famous Mothman was also considered as a possible subject for the state coin.
Quarters released in 2006
Nevada was the 36th state of the United States. This quarter features wild mustangs, the sun rising behind mountains and wild sagebrush bordering each side. Silver is the state metal. The theme of the Nevada quarter is "Morning in Nevada". Critics claim that the mountains in the background are the Sierra Nevada which are actually to the west in California. Perhaps they could change it to Evening in Nevada. Despite that and a couple other discrepancies it is still a beautiful coin.
- Statehood Date: Mar. 1, 1867
- Release Date: Apr. 3, 2006
- Coin Caption: "Chimney Rock"
The Nebraska coin shows a covered wagon with Chimney Rock in the background. An alternate design for the Nebraska quarter featured Standing Bear, a Native American leader who sued the federal government to entitle constitutional rights to Native Americans.
- Statehood Date: Aug. 1, 1876
- Release Date: Jun. 14, 2006
- Coin Caption: "Colorful Colorado"
Colorado,the 38th state, is know as the "Centennial State" since it joined the Union one month after the Centennial of the United States. The state quarter shows a portion of the Rocky Mountains with evergreen trees in the foreground.
- Statehood Date: Nov. 2, 1889
- Release Date: Aug. 2006
- Coin Caption: None
The North Dakota state quarter shows American bison with a sunset behind a mesa in The Badlands. The Kansas state quarter also has American bison.
- Statehood Date: Nov. 2, 1889
- Release Date: Oct. 2006
- Coin Caption: None
The South Dakota state quarter shows Mount Rushmore and a Chinese ring-necked pheasant. Also, the coin is bordered by heads of wheat. These look similar to the reverse of pre-1959 pennies that were nicknamed wheat backs or wheat pennies.
Quarters released in 2007
Montana is the 41st state and it's state quarter features the skull of a bison over a landscape of the Rocky Mountains. Montana got the Big Sky Country nickname from a Montana State Highway Department campaign in 1962.
The Washington quarter shows a salmon leaping out of a body of water, the far shore lined with evergreens, and Mount Rainier in the background.
Idaho's state quarter has a Peregrine Falcon on the left side of the coin with the state's motto Esto Perpetua, Latin for "may it be forever" on the right. Below is an outline of the state with a star locating the state capitol, Boise. The Peregrine Falcon was once an endangered species but is now prolierating throughout Idaho.
- Statehood Date: Jul. 3, 1890
- Release Date: Aug. 2007
- Coin Caption: "The Equality State"
The Wyoming state quarter features a bucking horse and rider in base relief. The motto The Equality State is also on the simple design. Some coin collectors thought the flat feature of bucking horse and rider was a minting error.
- Statehood Date: July 4, 1896
- Release Date: Oct. 2007
- Coin Caption: "Crossroads of the West"
The Utah state quarter features the scene from Promontory Point in 1869 when the Golden Spike was driven to complete The Transcontinental Railroad linking the east with the west. Two steam locomotives face each other beneath a railroad spike with the motto across the top of the coin.
Quarters released in 2008
- Statehood Date: Nov. 8, 1907
- Release Date: Jan. 2008
- Coin Caption: none
Oklahoma, the 46th state in the United States is also known as the "Sooner State". The quarter shows an image of the Scissortail Flycatcher, the state bird, in flight over the "Indian Blanket" which is the state wildflower.
New Mexico is the 47th state. This coin features the Zia sun symbol over the outline of the state's border and centered over Santa Fe, the state capital. The Zia sun symbol, which originated from the Indians of Zia Pueblo, also appears on New Mexico's state flag. The Zia design represents their belief in the basic harmony of all things in the universe.
- Statehood Date: Feb. 14, 1912
- Release Date: Jun. 2008
- Coin Caption: Grand Canyon State
Arizona is the 48th state and the last of the continental states. On the coin is an image of the Grand Canyon, one of the seven natural wonders of the world carved by the Colorado River. The Saguaro Cactus is also shown on the coin and is the largest cactus in the U.S. growing as tall as 50 feet in height.
- Statehood Date: Jan. 3, 1959
- Release Date: Aug. 2008
- Coin Caption: The Great Land
Alaska is the 49th state and the word Alaska comes from the Aleutian word meaning "The Great Land". The coin features a grizzly bear with a salmon in its mouth. Also shown is the North Star in the background above the bear.
Hawaii is the 50th state and the last of the 50 state quarters to be issued. The Aloha State features King Kamehameha, who unified the governance of the Hawaiian Islands into one kingdom in the 19th century, and the eight major islands.
Sources:
50 State Quarters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State Quarters)
The 50 State Quarters Program of the United States Mint (http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/50sq_program/imdex.cfm?action=schedule)