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Release date of Alaska State Quarter: August
25, 2008.
The fourth quarter released by the United States
Mint in 2008 commemorates the State of Alaska. It is the 49th coin to
be issued in the Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program. On January 3, 1959,
Alaska became the 49th state to be admitted into the Union.
The reverse of the Alaska quarter features a grizzly bear emerging from
the waters clutching a salmon in its jaw. The coin’s design includes
the North Star displayed above the inscription "The Great Land" and the
inscriptions "Alaska" and "1959."
The grizzly bear and salmon symbolize Alaska’s natural beauty and
abundant wildlife, with the bear representing strength and the salmon
representing the nutrition that provides for this strength. The grizzly
flourishes in Alaska and can be observed in places such as Denali and
Katmai National Parks, Kodiak Island and Admiralty Island. More than 98
percent of the United States’ grizzly population is found in Alaska.
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| "The Great Land," features a
grizzly
bear emerging from the waters clutching a salmon in its jaw. The coin’s
design includes the North Star displayed above the inscription “The
Great Land” and the inscriptions “Alaska” and “1959.” United
States Mint image. |
The word Alaska comes from the Aleutian word
"Alyeska," meaning "The
Great Land." Populated by Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts for centuries,
Alaska was not explored by Europeans until 1741. Russia established a
colony in Alaska to protect its lucrative fur-trading interests, but
sold Alaska to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million, or two cents
per acre, when it could no longer afford to maintain the colony.
Although the purchase was derided by many in the United States at the
time, its worth became apparent following late 19th century gold rushes
and the discovery of oil in the mid-20th century.
The 11-member Alaska Commemorative Coin Commission, appointed by former
Governor Frank Murkowski, invited Alaskans to submit design ideas for
the Alaska quarter. From the 850-plus submissions, four concepts were
forwarded to the United States Mint for consideration. These concepts
were developed into design candidates by the United States Mint’s
Sculptor-Engravers and artists in its Artistic Infusion Program. On
April 26, 2007, Governor Sarah Palin announced her selection of the
grizzly bear and salmon design following a statewide comment period.
The Department of the Treasury approved the design on May 25, 2007. The
other designs considered include "Polar Bear," featuring a polar bear
with the inscription "Land of the Midnight Sun;" "Dog Musher with
Denali (Mt. McKinley)," featuring a dog musher, Denali, and the Big
Dipper; and "Gold Panner with Denali," depicting a gold panner with
Denali in the background.
Purchase an Alaska
State Quarter
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