Timeline History of the American Quarter

1792: The Mint Act of April 2, 1792 becomes the first official act to direct attention to the design of a quarter. It specifies that certain design features and legends must appear on all authorized coins. It mandates that one side of the coin will include the year in which it was minted, an impression that symbolizes liberty, and the actual word "Liberty." Ten coin denominations are chosen, and their compositions and weights are defined.

1796: The first minting begins with silver as the material of choice. For the next 115 years, liberty is symbolized on the front of the coin by allegorical female figures (Lady Liberty) in the form of a bust or a full-length figure. The back of the quarter features an eagle and the words "United States of America."

1873: The Act of February 12, 1873, declares that the coin is not heavy enough and extra weight is added.

1916: The representation of Lady Liberty and the eagle on the quarter in the late 18th and early 19th centuries has been altered many times to keep up with the changing designs of other coins. Lady Liberty started out with flowing hair, then a draped bust, then a capped bust. Controversy arises in 1916 when Lady Liberty is suddenly shown standing with an exposed breast.

1917: The design showing an exposed breast on Lady Liberty is deemed too risqué and the exposure is covered with a coat of mail. The eagle receives a makeover as well. The small eagle, who some thought looked like a pigeon, grows to become grander and more patriotic.

1932: The bicentennial of George Washington's birthday marks the second, but certainly not the only, time a coin is changed from an allegorical figure to an historical one. A silhouette of Washington's head replaces Lady Liberty.

1965: The Mint Act of 1965 mandates the use of copper-nickel instead of silver.

1975-1976: Another bicentennial event influences the quarter's design, with the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To honor the event, a colonial drummer replaces the eagle on the back of the coin.

1997: President Clinton signs the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act (Public Law 105 - 124) into law on December 1, 1997. Congress commissions the redesign of quarters to honor the "unique Federal Republic," and to teach children about the history, geography and heritage of each state.

1998: Former Secretary of the Treasury, Robert Rubin, establishes a procedure for selecting individual designs for each new quarter on January 9, 1998.

1999 to 2008: The quarter will undergo 50 changes. Each state will be honored on an individual coin, arousing the public's interest in coin design and state history.

1999: The first five quarters of the 50 State Quarters Program are unveiled, one every 10 weeks, in the order in which they ratified the Constitution and joined the Union. The five states honored are Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut.

2000: Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Virginia join the 50 State Quarters Program as the honored states of 2000.

2001: The U.S. Mint releases New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Kentucky quarters.

2002: The U.S. Mint releases Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana and Mississippi quarters.

Click here for more about the 50 State Quarters program.