The 50 State Quarters® Program is a 10-year initiative (1999 - 2008) commemorating each of the 50 United States, as allowed by Public Law 105-124.
This is an unprecedented program by which the United States quarter's design will change five times each year for a 10-year period, beginning in January 1999.
States are honored in the order in which they were admitted into the Union.
This program represents the first change to the quarter since production of the Bicentennial quarter in 1975-1976.
The United States Mint will cease production of the "Eagle" quarter until the 50 State Quarters Program ends in 2008.
The 50 State Quarters are legal tender issue from the United States Treasury, and will be available through circulation in commercial transactions.
This program is self-supported by the United States Mint at no additional cost to taxpayers.
State designs are displayed on the reverse (tails) of the quarters, while the obverse (heads) of the quarters continue to display the familiar image of George Washington. To accommodate state designs on the reverse, the words "United States of America," "Quarter Dollar," "Liberty," and "In God We Trust" all appear on the obverse.
State designs are submitted and recommended via a process determined by the governor of each state. The United States Mint reviews the designs for coinability before each governor recommends a final design. Both the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts provide comments.
The Secretary of the Treasury approves all final designs.