50 States Quarters Program 1999-2008

Released on May 20, 2002, this is the 18th coin released in the 50 State Quarters Program and the third released in 2002. Louisiana, admitted into the Union on April 30, 1812, themed the coin, Louisiana Purchase. Highlighted on the coin are an image of the pelican - Louisiana's state bird - a trumpet with musical notes, and the outline of the Louisiana Purchase territory. Launched in 1999, the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program was a 10-year initiative that honored each of the nation’s states in the order that they ratified the Constitution or were admitted into the Union. Each quarter was produced for about 10 weeks and will never be produced again. State designs are displayed on the reverse (tails) of the quarters, while the obverse design displays the familiar image of George Washington. But, to accommodate state designs on the reverse, the words “United States of America,” “Quarter Dollar,” “Liberty,” and “In God We Trust” all appear on the obverse. Louisiana is a southeastern U.S. state on the Gulf of Mexico. Its history as a melting pot of French, African, American and French-Canadian cultures is reflected in its Creole and Cajun cultures. The largest city, New Orleans, is known for its colonial-era French Quarter, raucous Mardi Gras festival, jazz music, Renaissance-style St. Louis Cathedral and wartime exhibits at the huge National WWII Museum.