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There are several common threads in State quarter dollar designs. Two in particular come to mind immediately.
One is the frequency with which state outlines show up in the coin designs and the other is the number of State quarter dollars featuring some type of wording beyond what’s required by law.
Just about every State quarter dollar design has wording: either it is the state’s motto and sometimes it is specific to the design focus.
But a few designs do not include anything beyond the standard wording required for State quarter dollars.
So, pop quiz time. Try to recall each design. Here goes.
First question: Can you name the coins that include the outline of the state the design honors?
Aside from comments about specific designs, readers were most vocal when a state outline appeared on the final design.
This design element became a hot-button topic for many collectors and most who contacted Coin World voiced their objections loud and clear.
But complaints aside, 15 designs incorporated the outline of the state being honored.
The only year State quarter dollars were released with no state outlines on any of the designs was 2006, with coins honoring Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota.
In 1999 the designs for the Pennsylvania and Georgia coins featured outlines of their respective states. Another two states – Massachusetts and South Carolina – included state outlines in their 2000 designs.
Only the New York coin included the state outline design feature among those for 2001. But three of the coin designs issued in 2002 made up for any lack, with outlines of Ohio, Louisiana and Indiana part of their respective designs.
By 2003 it looked like the concept was dying away with only Illinois including a state outline in 2003. But the concept wasn’t dead yet. Michigan and Texas both featured state outlines in their designs in 2004. Minnesota used a state outline as part of its design in 2005. The 2007 Idaho and the 2008 New Mexico and Hawaii coin designs all feature outlines of their respective states.
Now for the second question: How many State quarter dollar designs do not feature any wording except that required by law?
Only six State quarter designs do not feature any inscriptions aside from the name of the state, the year of issuance, the year the state joined the Union and other legally required text.
The 2003 Maine and Arkansas coins; the 2005 Kansas coin; the 2006 North Dakota and South Dakota designs; and the 2008 Oklahoma design all are mute on the subject of mottoes or other inscriptions aside from what’s legally mandated.
How did you do? Did you remember or did you need to peek at your collection? Either way you had a quick refresher course in State quarter dollar designs.
First Reports
Ivan Bauer of Georgia reported Sept. 2 that he received a 2008-P Alaska quarter dollar from a bank.
David Sexton of California reported Sept. 2 that he received a 2008-D Alaska quarter dollar in a change machine at a coin-operated laundry.
Circulation Reports
We did not receive any reports this week.
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