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PHILADELPHIA (May 5, 1999) -
With three "hip, hip, hurrahs!" a
George Washington look-alike encouraged the crowd
at the Philadelphia Mint to cheer the striking of
the first New Jersey quarter. The quarter depicts
the significant and historic 1776 crossing of the
Delaware River.
The New Jersey quarter, the third coin issued
under the 50 State Quarters® Program,
features on its reverse (back) Washington leading
his troops across the Delaware to their victories
against the British at the Trenton and Princeton
battles. Like all the state quarters, the obverse
(front) has a silhouette of President Washington
- a slightly modified version of the portrait
that has appeared there since his bicentennial
birthday in 1932.
A George Washington look-alike gets ready to strike the only coin to feature our
country's first president on both the obverse and reverse, as Mint Police
Officer Elliott Eberhardt observes. |
Governor Christine Todd Whitman was the first
to strike a New Jersey quarter during the
ceremony. "When Washington brought his
ragged army across the Delaware River to Trenton
on a bitter Christmas night, they began 10
crucial days of battle," Whitman said.
"I'm proud of New Jersey, the crossroads of
the Revolution, and this coin captures our pride
perfectly. The new coin not only commemorates an
important battle but also celebrates the
determination of the American people to overcome
obstacles and to persevere."
Joining Whitman were government officials,
reporters, and students from the Pond Road Middle
School in Washington Township, Mercer County, New
Jersey. Like all the attendees, the students had
the chance to strike their own quarters.
"Already the state quarters are really
spreading," said U.S. Treasurer Mary Ellen
Withrow. "People are anxious to get them for
spending and saving." The Mint projects
production of 650 to 750 million New Jersey
quarters. "Anticipation for the New Jersey
quarter is apparent not only among coin
collectors but also among children of all ages
who are learning the value of collection, state
history, and geography all at the same
time," added Withrow. "Plus they can
get the whole collection out of circulation for
$12.50."
After striking their own coins, students from New Jersey's Pond Road Middle School
(Washington Township, Mercer County) toured the Philadelphia Mint, getting to see their
state's new quarter roll hot off the Mint's presses. |
Starting in 1999, the Mint will produce five
state quarters a year for 10 years. The first two
coins - Delaware and Pennsylvania - are already
in circulation. The remaining 1999 Georgia and
Connecticut quarters will be minted and
circulated later in the year. Not until 2009 will
the well-known "Eagle" again grace the
quarter's reverse. All circulating quarters will
be manufactured at both the Philadelphia and
Denver Mints.
In late 1997, President Clinton signed legislation authorizing the 50 State
Quarters® Program, which honors the states in the order they ratified the
Constitution and joined the Union. The design process for each quarter is
determined by the governor of each state before design concepts are sent to the
U.S. Mint and then ultimately returned to the states for the latter stages of
the selection process. The Secretary of the Treasury gives final approval for
each of the quarters released under the 50 State Quarters® Program.
A Commemorative Coin Design Commission was created for the New Jersey quarter.
Its 15 members, chosen for their professional backgrounds in history, art, and
numismatics, unanimously voted for the "Crossroads of the Revolution"
design concept. Governor Whitman first approved the final engraving by Al Maletsky,
and Secretary of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin gave final approval of the design.
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