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The Louisiana State Quarter The symbolic elements of the Louisiana design dipict an outline of the contiguous 48 states highlighting the land encompassed by the Louisiana Purchase. Hailed as "the greatest real estate deal in history," the Louisana purchase roughly doubled the size of the United States at the time for a cost of about four cents an acre. The land, referred to as the Louisiana Purchase, was bought from France in 1803 by the United States government, under president Thomas Jefferson. Louisiana, the first state to be carved out of this large land deal, entered the union as the 18th state on April 30,1812. Twelve other territories, cut from the Louisiana Purchase in whole or part, followed Louisiana on to statehood. They were Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Colorado and Montana. The last of the Louisiana Purchase states to enter the union was Oklahoma; November 16, 1907. A trumpet with musical notes celebrates Louisiana's musical legacy which exemplifies "joie de vivre," the joy of living. According to the Louisiana State Web Site: "From the grand concert halls to the obscure roadside honky-tonks, from historic Congo Square in Armstrong Park to places where Mardi Gras Indians roam, Louisiana’s musical legacy is rich and abundant and diverse as its people. So follow Louisiana’s musical legacy around the state. You'll know you're there when your heart stirs at the brassy sounds of a jazz trumpet on a glorious New Orleans night. You'll want to clap and sway to the gospel strains that stir you in a North Louisiana chapel, or two-step to this area's country/bluegrass. You'll understand when your pulse quickens and your toes begin to tap out the tempo of a hot Cajun or zydeco band warming up the crowd on a Saturday night in a Southwest Louisiana dance hall. If this sojourn had an official anthem, it would probably be titled after a saying that best sums up the people and the music of Louisiana - "joie de vivre," the joy of living." (Source: www.gov.state.la.us/quarter/about_jazz.html) The Brown Pelican, standing in the lower left area of the state quarter is a fitting representation of the state. Known as "The Pelican State," this bird has been a symbol of Louisiana since the arrival of early European settlers who were impressed with the Pelican's generous and nurturing attitude toward their young. The Pelican is Louisiana's official State Bird and appears on the Louisiana State Flag. Use of pesticides caused Pelicans to stop nesting along the Louisiana coast in 1961 and their complete disapppearance in 1966. In 1968, Louisiana began bringing Florida fleglings into the state in an attempt to re-populate the Louisiana coastline. In 1970, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Brown Pelican as an endangered species. In 1995, the Federal Government declared the Brown Pelican "recovered" in Louisiana. It's now estimated that about 40,000 Brown Pelicans now call "The Pelican State" home. A more perfect setting for the release of the Louisiana quarter was unlikely. The Old U.S. Mint, in New Orleans, is steeped in history and is the only Mint to serve as both a U.S. and a Confederate Mint. Built in 1835, the New Orleans Mint was intended to help finance the western frontier. In 1861 however, the Mint was used as a barracks for Confederate soldiers and to make Confederate currency. After the Civil War, the Mint produced U.S. coins until 1909. Source: United States Mint, http://www.usmint.gov, January 17, 2002. |
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The Louisiana state quarter was released to the Federal Reserve Bank on May 20, 2002
and into general cirulation on May 30, 2002. It is the 18th quarter to be released in the U.S. Mint's
50 State Quarters™ Program and the third to be released in 2002.
The launch ceremony for the Louisiana State Quarter was held in the Old U.S. Mint
in New Orleans with Governor Mike Foster,United States Treasurer Rosario Marin and United States Mint Director Henrietta
Holsman Fore doing the honors. Joining the Governor to celebrate and provide entertainment were clarinetist Pete Fountain, jazz pianist
Ellis Marsalis Jr., the "Ragin' Cajun," Doug Kershaw, the "Soul Queen of New Orleans," Irma Thomas, Jean Knight, 10 year-old
sensation, Hunter Hayes, young fiddler and vocalist Amanda Shaw, Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, Tabby Thomas,
and Chris Thomas King. A great time was had by all.