WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Mint today announced that it has begun shipping the fourth design in the new 50 State Quarters series to the Federal Reserve for distribution to commercial banks and financial institutions. The fourth quarter design honors Georgia, the fourth state to join the Union. Shipment of the Georgia quarters follows the release of the Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey quarters shipped earlier in the year. A quarter honoring the state of Connecticut will be next, scheduled for distribution later this year.
“The Georgia quarter design was agreed upon by both governor Roy Barnes and the Georgia Council of the Arts, making it a very special addition to the series,” said Philip N. Diehl, director of the U.S. Mint. “The state of Georgia should be very proud of their contribution in designing the nation’s fourth 50 State Quarter.”
The reverse (tails) design of the Georgia 50 State Quarter prominently features the beloved peach, the quintessential Georgia fruit, within the confines of a silhouette outline of the state. The central design is bordered in oak sprigs, symbolic of the state tree. Draped across the top of the design is a banner bearing the state motto, “Wisdom, Justice, Moderation.”
Legislation signed by the President in late 1997 authorized the Mint to honor the 50 states in the order they entered the Union or ratified the Constitution by producing five quarters each year, from 1999 through 2008, with reverse designs celebrating the heritage of each state. The design process for each quarter is determined within each state by the Governor before design concepts are sent to the Mint, and then returned to the states for final selection. Approval of the final design rests with the Treasury Secretary. The well–known “Eagle” reverse quarter is scheduled to resume in 2009.
“With the release of the Georgia quarter, the nation will now have an opportunity to learn the rich and celebrated history of our state,” Georgia Governor Roy Barnes said. “We feel truly privileged to be honored on this distinctive example of American coinage.”
The 50 State Quarters are manufactured at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, which produce all legal tender U.S. circulating coins, before being shipped to the Federal Reserve for distribution through the banking system. The Federal Reserve orders new quarters to ensure an adequate supply to meet the needs of commerce as commercial banks demand. The Mint projects production of up to 750 million quarters for each state reverse design.
For further information on the 50 State Quarters program and future collectible products, visit the Mint’s web site at www.usmint.gov.