What will be collectors? favorite state quarter design in 2007? Start thinking. The designs for Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah have been released by the Mint. The coins will be placed into circulation at intervals of approximately 10 weeks starting in January in the order the states were admitted to the Union.
The reverse of Montana?s quarter features a bison skull above the diverse Montana landscape with the inscription ?Big Sky Country.? The coin also bears the inscriptions, ?Montana? and ?1889.? It was designed by former Mint sculptor-engraver Donna Weaver and sculpted by Mint sculptor-engraver Don Everhart.
The reverse of Washington?s quarter features a king salmon breaching the water in front of Mount Rainier. The coin bears the inscriptions, ?The Evergreen State,? ?Washington? and ?1889.?
The reverse was designed by Mint Artistic Infusion program master designer Susan Gamble, of Arlington, Va., and sculpted by Mint sculptor-engraver Charles Vickers.
The reverse of Idaho?s quarter features the Peregrine Falcon above an outline of the state of Idaho. The coin bears the inscriptions, ?Esto Perpetua? (the state motto, which means, ?May it be Forever?), ?Idaho? and ?1890.?
This was designed by Weaver and sculpted by Everhart.
The reverse of Wyoming?s quarter has a bucking horse and rider with the inscriptions, ?The Equality State,? ?Wyoming? and ?1890.?
Weaver designed it. Mint sculptor-engraver Norman E. Nemeth sculpted it.
The Utah quarter shows two locomotives moving toward the Golden Spike that joined the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, creating the nation?s transcontinental railroad in 1869. The inscription says, ?Crossroads of the West.? The coin also bears the inscriptions ?Utah? and ?1896.?
The Utah quarter reverse was designed and sculpted by Mint sculptor-engraver Joseph Menna.
Customers will be able to purchase the 2007 50-state quarters in two-roll sets and bags during the individual sales periods. Go to the Mint?s Web site, www.usmint.gov.
