Washington — The District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories will get their own commemorative quarter–dollars in 2009, under new legislation signed by President Bush.
“The 50 State Quarters Program has been the most popular coin program in U.S. history, generating billions of dollars that have been used to pay down the National debt,” said United States Mint Director Ed Moy. “We look forward to honoring the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories by minting and issuing six quarters in 2009 that will build upon the success of a program that has educated a generation in state geography and history.”
An estimated 147 million people collect the 50 State Quarters coins, a ten–year program introduced in 1999 that will end in late 2008 with the issuance of the Hawaii commemorative quarter, marking the 50th State to be honored.
Congress has now added a provision to the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act that calls on the United States Mint to produce six newly designed quarters in 2009 honoring the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The new quarter program will continue to feature images of President George Washington on the obverse (heads side) of each quarter. The image on the reverse (tails side) will commemorate the history, geography or traditions of the District of Columbia and each territory.
The first quarter to be issued in the 2009 program will be the one honoring the District of Columbia. The five United States territories will follow throughout 2009.