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District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters

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For the quarters issued from 1999 to 2008, see 50 State quarters. For the quarters issued from 2010 to 2021, see America the Beautiful quarters. For the quarters issued from 2022 to 2025, see American Women quarters.

The District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters were a series of six quarters minted by the United States Mint in 2009[1] to honor the District of Columbia and the unincorporated United States insular areas of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The islands commonly grouped together as the United States Minor Outlying Islands were not featured, as the law defined the word "territory" as being limited to the areas mentioned above.[2] They followed the completion of the 50 State Quarters Program. The coins used the same George Washington obverse as with the quarters of the previous 10 years. The reverse of the quarters featured a design selected by the Mint depicting the federal district and each territory. Unlike on the 50 State quarters, the motto "E Pluribus Unum" preceded and was the same size as the mint date on the reverse.

DC and US Territories quarter
United States
Value0.25 U.S. Dollar
Mass6.25(Ag); 5.67 (Cu-Ni) g
Diameter24.26 mm (0.955 in)
Thickness1.75 mm (0.069 in)
Edge119 reeds
Composition91.67% Cu 8.33% Ni (standard)
90% Ag 10% Cu (proof only)
Years of minting2009
Mint marksP, D, S (proof only)
Obverse
DesignGeorge Washington
DesignerJohn Flanagan (1932 version) from a 1786 bust by Houdon / William Cousins (modification to Flanagan's design)
Design date1999
Reverse
Designvarious; six designs (latest shown)
Designervarious
Design date2009

Legislation

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A 2003 letter from Virginia Congressman Ed Schrock answering a constituent's query about the proposed program

Although the statehood program was, by legislation, originally intended to include only the 50 states, legislation (District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program Act) was signed into law in late 2007 to include the remaining jurisdictions of the nation. A bill had been introduced five times in the United States Congress to extend the 50 State Quarters program an additional year to include the District of Columbia; the commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands; and the U.S. territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. During the 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and 110th Congresses, these bills had passed through the House of Representatives, and even had 34 Senate sponsors for the Senate bill during the 108th; however, none of these bills were passed by the Senate. H.R. 3885, the version in the 109th Congress, passed the House by voice vote in the early hours of December 9, 2006, just before it adjourned sine die; but the Senate adjourned sine die shortly thereafter without considering the bill. The 110th Congress version of the bill, H.R. 392 was introduced on January 10, 2007 by the Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and was passed by the House of Representatives on January 23, 2007.

On December 10, 2007, Puerto Rico-born Rep. José Serrano, D-NY, attached H.R. 392's language to the Omnibus Spending Bill (H.R. 2764) that the House passed.[3] The bill passed in the Senate on September 6; President George W. Bush signed the bill on December 26. The additional six coins to be minted in 2009 were expected to generate renewed interest in the series, generate over $400 million in additional revenue to the Treasury, and lead many publishers to produce new products to accommodate the additional six coins. H.R. 2764 also moved the "In God We Trust" from the edge to the obverse or reverse of the Presidential $1 Coin Program.[3][4]

The 1997 act that authorized the statehood quarter program had originally provided that if the federal district, or any of the territories or commonwealths, became states before 2009, that new state would get a quarter.[5]

Designs

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Federal district
or Territory 		Release date
(territory date) 		Mintage[6] Design Elements depicted Engraver
Denver Philadelphia Total
  District of Columbia January 26, 2009[7]
(July 16, 1790) 		88,800,000 83,600,000 172,400,000   Duke Ellington seated at a grand piano.
Caption: "Duke Ellington" and "Justice for all" 		Don Everhart
  Puerto Rico March 30, 2009[8]
(December 10, 1898) 		86,000,000 53,200,000 139,200,000   A sentry box at Castillo San Felipe del Morro and a maga flower.[9]
Caption: "Isla del Encanto" (Island of enchantment) 		Joseph F. Menna
  Guam May 26, 2009[10]
(December 10, 1898) 		42,600,000 45,000,000 87,600,000   An outline of the island, a proa boat, and a latte stone.
Caption: "Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro" (Guam, land of the Chamorro) 		Jim Licaretz
  American Samoa July 27, 2009[11]
(April 17, 1900) 		39,600,000 42,600,000 82,200,000   An ava bowl, whisk and staff in the foreground with a coconut tree on the shore in the background.
Caption: "Samoa Muamua le Atua" (Samoa, God is first) 		Charles L. Vickers
  U.S. Virgin Islands September 28, 2009[12]
(March 31, 1917) 		41,000,000 41,000,000 82,000,000   An outline of the three major islands, the bananaquit, the yellow cedar or yellow elder, and a tyre palm tree.
Caption: "United in Pride and Hope" 		Joseph F. Menna
  Northern Mariana Islands November 30, 2009[13]
(March 24, 1976) 		37,600,000 35,200,000 72,800,000   Near the shore stand a large limestone latte, a canoe of the Carolinians, two white fairy terns, and a mwar (head lei). Phebe Hemphill

Additional notes on individual designs

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District of Columbia

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On February 1, 2008, Adrian M. Fenty, the Mayor of the District of Columbia, established a committee whose purpose was to advise the Mayor on the development of a reverse side design concept for the 2009 District of Columbia commemorative quarter dollar coin that would be representative of the District. The committee would solicit and collect public input on the design concept and would compile the input into two or three narratives describing concepts for the coin. The committee would then submit the narratives to the United States Mint in accordance with the schedule that the Mint had prescribed.[14][15]

On February 25, 2008, the District's government submitted to the Mint three design narratives for the District's quarter: one with the District's flag, one depicting Benjamin Banneker, and one depicting Duke Ellington.[16] The District suggested that each of the three designs include either the words "Taxation Without Representation" or "No Taxation Without Representation",[16] both of which refer to the District's efforts to obtain full representation in Congress.[17]

The Mint rejected both messages because of its prohibition against printing controversial inscriptions on coins.[17][18] The Mint stated that, while it takes no stance on the voting rights of the District, it considers the messages to be controversial because there is currently "no national consensus" on the issue.[17]

In response, the District revised its designs for the quarter, replacing the text with "JUSTICE FOR ALL",[19] which is an English translation of the District's motto, "JUSTITIA OMNIBUS" (see Seal of the District of Columbia).[17][20] The District also changed the design with the District's flag to a design depicting Frederick Douglass and revised the narratives for the Banneker and Ellington designs.[19] The Mint then released for review images of artist renderings for each of the three designs.[21]

Following a vote by District residents, Mayor Fenty recommended that the Mint select the design that depicted Duke Ellington, while expressing the District's disappointment that the Mint had disallowed the phrase "Taxation Without Representation".[22] The Secretary of the Treasury approved the design on July 31, 2008.[15]

Puerto Rico

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The Senate of Puerto Rico approved a resolution in June 2008, co-sponsored by Senate President Kenneth McClintock and Senate Minority Leader José Luis Dalmau, urging the United States Mint to select an image of the Arecibo Observatory for Puerto Rico's commemorative quarter. On December 15, 2008, U.S. Representative José Serrano of New York released the winning design, the second option developed by the United States Mint.[23] This design depicts a bartizan (sentry turret) and a view of the ocean from Old San Juan, a Flor de Maga (Maga tree flower), and the motto "Isla del Encanto", meaning "Island of Enchantment". The Puerto Rico quarter was the first U.S. coin with an inscription in Spanish.[24]

Guam

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Pictured on the Guam quarter are the shape of the island of Guam, a proa boat, and a latte stone pillar. The inscription "Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro" means "Guam, Land of the Chamorro" in the Chamorro language.[25]

American Samoa

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The quarter for American Samoa shows an ava bowl, a fue whisk and to'oto'o staff (symbols of traditional authority), and a view of the coastline showing a coconut tree. Inscribed on the coin is the motto of American Samoa, "Samoa Muamua Le Atua", which means "Samoa, God is First" in Samoan.[26] The seal of American Samoa has similar imagery.

U.S. Virgin Islands

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Pictured on the U.S. Virgin Islands quarter are the outlines of the islands of Saint Croix, Saint Thomas, and Saint John, a palm tree, a bananaquit, and a yellow cypress flower, along with the motto "United in Pride and Hope".[27]

Northern Mariana Islands

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The quarter for the Northern Mariana Islands depicts the sea shore, with a latte stone, two fairy terns, a Carolinian canoe, and a mwar (head lei).[28]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ U.S. Mint: District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program Archived December 28, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 2009-01-09)
  2. ^ Pub. L. 110–161 (text) (PDF), 121 Stat. 2018, enacted December 26, 2007) – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Division D, Title VI, §622, subsection 7. "Territory defined.--For purposes of this subsection, the term `territory' means the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands."
  3. ^ a b Ganz, David L. Quarter Program Adds Territories Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Numismaster.com. 2007-12-20. Accessed 2008-06-01.
  4. ^ Pub. L. 110–161 (text) (PDF), 121 Stat. 2018, enacted December 26, 2007) – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Division D, Title VI, §623, subsection A.
  5. ^ Pub. L. 105–124 (text) (PDF), 111 Stat. 2534, enacted December 1, 1997) – 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act, §3, subsection 7. "If any additional State is admitted into the Union before the end of the 10-year period referred to in paragraph (1), the Secretary of the Treasury may issue quarter dollar coins, in accordance with this subsection, with a design which is emblematic of such State during any 1 year of such 10-year period, in addition to the quarter dollar coins issued during such year in accordance with paragraph (3)(A)."
  6. ^ "Mintage figures: United States Mint". Usmint.gov. June 16, 2013. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  7. ^ District of Columbia Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  8. ^ Puerto Rico Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  9. ^ Ganz, David (2008). America's State Quarters: The Definitive Guidebook to Collecting State Quarters, House of Collectibles, p.234. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  10. ^ Guam Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  11. ^ American Samoa Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  12. ^ US Virgin Islands Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  13. ^ Northern Mariana Islands Quarter Guide to the 50 State Quarters Program
  14. ^ Fenty, Adrian M. (February 1, 2008). "Design of the District of Columbia Quarter Dollar Coin" (PDF). Mayor's Order 2008-21. Newsroom, Government of the District of Columbia. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2010.
  15. ^ a b "District of Columbia Quarter". Coin and Medal Programs: D.C. and U.S. Territories Quarters. United States Mint. June 1, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2018."District of Columbia Quarter". Coin and Medal Programs: D.C. and U.S. Territories Quarters. United States Mint. June 1, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  16. ^ a b "District of Columbia Quarter Dollar Coin Design Narratives: Letter from Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia to Edmund C. Moy, Director, United States Mint" (PDF). Government of the District of Columbia: Office of the Secretary. February 25, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2020. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. ^ a b c d Duggan, Paul (February 28, 2008). "Mint Rejects Voting Rights Message". The Washington Post. p. B03.
  18. ^ "BREAKING: U.S. Mint Rejects D.C. Quarter Design". DCist. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  19. ^ a b (1) "Revised District of Columbia Quarter Dollar Coin Design and Narratives: Office of the Secretary of the District of Columbia: Letter from Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia to Edmund C. Moy, Director, United States Mint" (PDF). News Release. Newsroom, Government of the District of Columbia. February 28, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2008.
    (2) "District of Columbia Quarter Dollar Coin Design Revised Narratives" (PDF). Government of the District of Columbia: Office of the Secretary. March 3, 2008. p. 2. Retrieved September 19, 2020. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link).
  20. ^ "justitia omnibus". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2018. Archived from the original on April 24, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2018. Definition of justitia omnibus: justice for all — motto of the District of Columbia
  21. ^ "Washington DC Quarter Design Images Released, Public Asked to Vote for Favorite". CoinNews.net. June 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  22. ^ Fenty, Adrian M. (June 19, 2008). "Recommendation Letter to the U.S. Mint" (PDF). Government of the District of Columbia: Office of the Secretary. Retrieved January 15, 2018. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 16, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. ^ "™ el Nuevo Día - la peseta boricua". Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  24. ^ Associated Press (April 3, 2009). "Puerto Rico Gets Some Change: U.S. Mint Unveils Coin with Spanish Inscription", New York Daily News. Accessed December 26, 2010.
  25. ^ Guam Quarter Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, United States Mint. Accessed December 27, 2010.
  26. ^ American Samoa Quarter Archived March 28, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, United States Mint. Accessed December 27, 2010.
  27. ^ U.S. Virgin Islands Quarter Archived March 28, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, United States Mint. Accessed December 27, 2010.
  28. ^ Northern Mariana Islands Quarter Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, United States Mint. Accessed December 27, 2010.


Preceded by District of Columbia and United States Territories quarters
(2009) 		Succeeded by
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