USA State Quarters

USA Quarters-X

New Jersey state quarter

The New Jersey quarter depicts General George Washington and members of the Colonial Army crossing the Delaware River en route to very important victories during the Revolutionary War. The design is based on the 1851 painting by Emmanuel Leutze, "Washington Crossing the Delaware," which currently hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

It was a cold Christmas night in 1776 and the Delaware River was frozen in many places. General George Washington calculated the enemy would not be expecting an assault in this kind of weather. He and his soldiers courageously crossed the Delaware River into Trenton, NJ. Using surprise as their greatest weapon, Washington's army captured over 900 prisoners and secured the town. Later that night, his army continued towards Princeton, NJ, again taking the enemy by surprise. These two victories proved very important to his army as they gave the soldiers courage, hope, and newfound confidence. The ammunition, food and other supplies confiscated from their captives also helped them survive the brutal winter of 1777.

New Hampshire state quarter

The New Hampshire quarter depicts one of New Hampshire’s greatest natural attractions, "The Old Man of the Mountain," a rock formation found on Mt. Cannon in Franconia Notch.

From the right view, this unique rock formation, comprised of five layers of Conway red granite, depicts the distinct profile of an elderly man gazing eastward. Geographers believe that the layers of granite were positioned by the melting and slipping away action of an ice sheet that covered the Franconia Mountains at the end of the glacial period, some 2,000 to 10,000 years ago.

The new quarter features nine stars, signifying New Hampshire’s status as the ninth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The state motto, "Live Free or Die," written by New Hampshire Revolutionary War hero, John Stark, also appears on the quarter. The design was based on suggestions given to the New Hampshire Commemorative Quarter Committee, established by New Hampshire Governor Shaheen to moderate a statewide design contest.

"The New Hampshire quarter will give the rest of the nation a sense of New Hampshire’s natural beauty, its rich history and the character of our people," said Governor Shaheen.

NOTE: The Old Man of the Mountain fell from his perch, 1,200 feet above Profile Lake in Franconia Notch, on May 3, 2003.

Nevada state quarter

Nevada's quarter depicts a trio of wild mustangs, the sun rising behind snow-capped mountains, bordered by sagebrush and a banner that reads "The Silver State." The coin also bears the inscriptions "Nevada" and "1864".

Nevada became a territory in 1861, several years after a Mormon Battalion in the Mexican War discovered gold and silver in the area of Virginia City. This discovery would later be referred to as one of the greatest mineral discoveries, famously known as the Comstock Lode.

Nevada is home to more than 50 percent of the Nation's wild horses. The wild horses dominate the Great Basin in the vast deserts and the more than 150 mountain ranges. The first mention of wild horses was discovered in several journals dating to the 1820s.