The District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program

After this week's release of the final coin of the 50 State Quarters Program honoring Hawaii, many coin collectors are asking, what's next?

Starting in 2009, the US Mint will begin a separate program known as the District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program. Under the program circulation commemorative quarter dollar coins will be issued to honor the remaining U.S. jurisdictions that are not states. Quarters will be issued for the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Similar to the preceding State Quarters series, each coin will feature a distinct reverse design. Each design will contain images and themes which are emblematic of the District of Columbia and each U.S. Territory. The design selection process includes consultation with the chief executive of D.C. and each Territory, consultation with the Commission of Fine Arts, and review by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. The Secretary of the Treasury has final approval for each design.

The design selection process usually includes several candidate designs before the final selections are decided.

The Puerto Rico quarter proposed designs include a depiction of the Governor's residence, a fortress parapet with the national flower, or the Arecibo Observatory. American Samoa's proposed designs include depiction of a man holding a dried coconut cup used in the ava ceremony, a collection of items representative of American Samoa, and some of the same items with the coastline in the background.

Some quarter designs have already been selected by residents or other responsible figures. The Secretary of the Treasury does have final approval over all designs, however he will usually agree with the design recommendation reached through the selection process.

Washington, D.C.'s candidate designs included depictions of Frederick Douglas, Benjamin Banneker, and Duke Ellington. By popular vote. D.C. residents selected the Duke Ellington design. Guam's design was also chosen by popular vote includes an outline of the island, a Flying Proa, and a stone Latte. The design for the U.S. Virgin Islands quarter features the Banana Quit, Yellow Cedar flower, and an outline of the islands. The design for the Northern Mariana Islands features a stone Lattte, coconut trees, a sailing vessel, and native plants and birds.

The new quarters will be issued for circulation starting in 2009, released in equal intervals throughout the year.

Find more information on the DC & US Territories Quarters or find details of all of the coins of the previous State Quarters series.