The second commemorative quarter-dollar coin released in 2007 honors Washington, and is the 42nd
coin in the United States Mint's 50 State Quarters® Program. Washington, nicknamed the
"Evergreen State," was admitted into the Union on November 11, 1889, becoming our
Nation's 42nd state. The reverse of Washington's quarter features a king salmon breaching the
water in front of majestic Mount Rainier. The coin bears the inscriptions "The Evergreen
State," "Washington" and "1889."
Mount Rainier is an active volcano encased in more than 35 square miles of snow and glacial ice.
It is the symbolic bridge between the eastern and western parts of the State. The salmon is another
important symbol of Washington. It is a traditional image of Pacific Northwest culture, and this
fish has provided nourishment for the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest. Newsman and real
estate pioneer C.T. Conover nicknamed Washington the "Evergreen State" because of its
many lush evergreen forests.
In April 2005, Governor Chris Gregoire established the Washington State Quarter Advisory Commission
to help guide the quarter selection process. The Commission requested that residents submit design
narratives representing various Washington themes. The Commission received more than 1,500
suggestions and chose five narratives to pass on to the United States Mint. United States Mint
sculptor-engravers and artists in the United States Mint's Artistic Infusion Program created the
corresponding design images. The residents of Washington participated in a statewide vote in April
2006, in which more than 130,000 votes were cast. On May 4, 2006, Governor Gregoire announced
Washington's recommendation at Centennial Elementary School in Olympia, Washington. Governor
Gregoire's recommendation, a king salmon breaching the water in front of Mount Rainier, received
the majority of votes cast in the statewide poll.
The Department of the Treasury approved the design on June 22, 2006. The two other designs considered
during the statewide vote were a design depicting a salmon, Mount Rainier and an apple within an
outline of Washington State, and a Northwest Native American-stylized orca.
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