FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin Thursday accepted the circulating state quarter design recommendations of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut that will appear on the tails (reverse) side of the quarter starting in 1999.

From January 1999 through 2008, the circulating state quarters will be minted in lieu of the current quarter design. This marks the first change to U.S. quarters in more than 20 years.

The Fifty States Commemorative Coin Program Act directed the Treasury Department to redesign the tails (reverse) side of the quarter with designs emblematic of each of the 50 states. The law provides for five states to be featured each year beginning in 1999, in the order in which the states ratified the U.S. Constitution or were admitted into the Union. The five states to have their designs appear on the quarter in 1999 are Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut.

"The circulating state quarters will honor the unique contributions of each state," Secretary Rubin said. "This program will encourage all of us to discover more about our own state and the history of all 50 states."

Secretary Rubin established the design selection process in January. Governors were invited to submit design concepts or themes representing their states. The designs were reviewed by the Mint, the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee and the Fine Arts Commission. Secretary Rubin approved three to five candidate designs for each state and resubmitted them to the respective governor for the state's final selection. Each governor determined the state's design-selection process. Final design approval rests with Secretary Rubin.

Delaware's quarter will depict Caesar Rodney on horseback making his historic ride to Independence Hall on July 2, 1776, to cast the tie-breaking vote among Delaware Delegates for independence from the British Crown. Delaware Governor Thomas R. Carper encouraged state residents to submit design concepts to the Delaware Arts Council and conducted a telephone and e-mail based opinion poll for the state's final selection.

Pennsylvania's design features "Commonwealth," the statue that sits atop Pennsylvania's Capitol dome and an outline of the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge invited all Pennsylvanians to submit design concepts to the Commemorative Quarter Committee, established by the governor to provide leadership to review possible designs for the state's quarter. Additional petitions and Internet web site visits raised the participation level further. Governor Ridge selected his state's final design recommendation.

New Jersey's design is a rendition of Emmanuel Leutze's 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware on his way to attack the British at Trenton, New Jersey. The New Jersey Assembly established the New Jersey Commemorative Coin Design Commission who selected five designs to submit for their state's quarter. The commission, with the approval of New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, selected the final New Jersey quarter design.

Georgia's design displays an outline of the state of Georgia, a Georgia peach, sprigs of the state's official tree, the live oak and the state motto "Wisdom, Justice, Moderation." Georgia Governor Zell Miller asked the Council for the Arts to develop and select the Georgia quarter design. The council submitted five design concepts and the governor and the council made the final selection.

Connecticut's design depicts the state's Charter Oak, the white oak tree that was used by Captain Joseph Wadsworth to hide the Connecticut Charter from British troops in 1687. Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland held the Connecticut Coin Design Competition and encouraged all state residents to send their concepts to the Connecticut Commission on the Arts. Five renditions of a single design concept were selected and the Connecticut Commemorative Coin Design Competition Review Committee with the governor's approval selected the final state design.

Minor changes were also made to the locations of some of the inscriptions on the quarter in accordance with legislation to allow more room for the state design. "United States of America" and the designation of value "quarter dollar" were moved from the tails side to the heads side of the quarter and the year of minting from the heads side to the tails side.

For more information about the circulating state quarters program, consumers can call the Mint's customer service center at (202) 283-2646 or visit the Mint's website: www.usmint.gov.