The District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program

In 2009, the United States Mint will mint and issue six quarter-dollar coins in honor of the District of Columbia and the five United States Territories: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. These coins will be issued in equal sequential intervals in 2009 in the order listed.

The image of George Washington as seen on the obverse of the 50 State Quarters® coins will remain unchanged. The reverse of each quarter will be distinctly different with images emblematic of the District of Columbia and each of the United States Territories.

Public Law requires the Secretary of the Treasury to approve each reverse design after consulting with the Chief Executive of the District of Columbia or the territory being honored and the Commission of Fine Arts, and after review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The Design Evaluation and Selection Process provides details on the steps the Secretary and the United States Mint will take to develop and approve the reverse designs in this 2009 series.

These coins will be issued for circulation in quantities to meet the needs of the United States—both for commerce and for collectors. In addition, the Secretary has the authority to mint and issue uncirculated and proof coins, as well as a 90 percent silver version of each coin. These numismatic versions will be included in the United States Mint’s annual product offerings.

For more information on this program, you may view a fact sheet and the history of the quarter-dollar.