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Release date of Alaska State Quarter: August,
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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