The United States Mint has unveiled proof 2009 quarter images depicting the themes honoring the District of Columbia and the five United States territories — D.C., Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The high resolution quarter images were not available when the 2009 Quarters Proof Set was issued in Jan., and offer an excellent presentation for how the circulating quarters will look.
The Mint is already offering DC quarters in rolls and bags. The five other quarters will enter circulation in equal intervals spread throughout 2009.
2009 Quarter Images and Design Descriptions
Each obverse ("heads" side) of the coin will depict the current George Washington image. The following is a listing with the proof 2009 quarter reverse or tails side image, their design descriptions, and the US Mint designer and sculptor.
District of Columbia
The coin’s reverse design features an image of celebrated musician Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington seated at a piano with the inscriptions, DUKE ELLINGTON and JUSTICE FOR ALL, the District’s official motto.
Designer and Sculptor
The District of Columbia quarter reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
The second quarter depicts a sentry box in Old San Juan overlooking the sea with a hibiscus, Puerto Rico’s official flower.
Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment) is also inscribed on the reverse.
Designer and Sculptor
The Puerto Rico quarter reverse was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.
Guam
The third quarter of 2009, honoring the territory of Guam, includes an outline of the island of Guam, a latte stone-once used as building support in ancient Chamorro society-and a flying proa (a native boat).
Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro (Guam, Land of the Chamorro) is also inscribed on the coin’s reverse.
Designer and Sculptor
The Guam quarter reverse was designed by United States Mint AIP Associate Designer David Westwood and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz.
American Samoa
The reverse design features the ava bowl, whisk and staff used in special Samoan ceremonies.
SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA (Samoa, God is First), the official motto of American Samoa, is inscribed on the reverse.
Designer and Sculptor
The American Samoa quarter reverse was designed by United States Mint AIP Master Designer Stephen Clark and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles Vickers.
United States Virgin Islands
The reverse design features the three major islands that comprise the territory with a Banana Quit (the official bird), a Yellow Cedar (the official flower) and a Tyre Palm, a tree native to the United States Virgin Islands.
United in Pride and Hope, the territory’s official motto, is also inscribed on the reverse.
Designer and Sculptor
The United States Virgin Islands quarter reverse was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island
The reverse design features a latte stone on an island with a Carolinian canoe under sail in the lagoon.
Two white Fairy Terns (native birds) are depicted in flight together overhead with a Carolinian Mwar (head lei) comprised of plumeria, langilang (ylang ylang), angagha (peacock flower) and teibwo (pacific basil), framing the design.
Designer and Sculptor
The Northern Mariana Islands quarter reverse was designed by United States Mint AIP Master Designer Richard Masters and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Design Selection Process
Designs for each quarter were submitted and recommended through a process determined by the Governors for the District of Columbia and each United States territories. The U.S. Mint reviewed the designs before each Governor recommended a final design based mostly on a resident voting with some using a committee selection process. Both the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and the Commission of Fine Arts were involved in improving designs while the Department of the Treasury selected each.
More information may be read though the US Mint page, The District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program.
After the DC and US Territories Quarters Program ends in 2009, National Park Quarters will launch beginning in 2010.
I have 2 of them, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
I have 3 of them U.S.Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and Dristrict Of Columbia,
Is there a folder for these, and how do you get it?
Pascal< There is a folder for these. They are included in the folder for the 50 states. This folder is availible at a Barnes and Noble bookstore. Good Luck
Where can I get these quarters?
I have a Guam quarter that is painted. Is this normal?
I use “State Series Quarters Collector Map” book for my quarter collection. I still need 4 quarter from this year, District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Island. They seems impossible to find somehow.
There are 6 not 5.