Virginia 50 State Quarter

50 State Quarter of Virginia

Designed by Edgar Z. Steever

Released October 16, 2000

Virginia, a southeastern state, stretches from the Chesapeake Bay to the Appalachian Mountains, with a long Atlantic Ocean coastline. It's the oldest of the 13 original colonies, with many historic landmarks including Monticello, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson’s iconic Charlottesville plantation. Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788. Richmond became the capital of the Confederacy on May 29, 1861, but re-entered the Union after the war.

Mintage: 1,594,616,000

The Virginia quarter, the tenth coin released under the 50 State Quarters® Program, honors Jamestown, Virginia, our nation's first permanent English settlement The 50 State Quarter of Virginia was released on October 16, 2000, featuring the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery that brought the first settlers to Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in what would become the United States. The ships made landfall in May 1607 at a place they named Cape Henry. The original colonists suffered extreme hardships with only 61 of the original 500 surviving the first three years. Inscriptions: Jamestown 1607-2007 and Quadricentennial.

Virginia 50 State Quarter

The Virginia quarter, the tenth coin released under the 50 State Quarters® Program, honors Jamestown, Virginia, our nation's first permanent English settlement. Jamestown turns 400 years old in 2007. The selected design features the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery. These ships brought the first English settlers to Jamestown.

On April 10, 1606, King James I of England chartered the Virginia Company to encourage colonization in the New World. The first expedition, consisting of the three ships depicted on the quarter, embarked from London on December 20, 1606. On May 12, 1607, they landed on a small island along the James River nearly 60 miles from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It was here the original settlers (104 men and boys) established the first permanent English settlement called Jamestown, in honor of King James I.

The selection of the design for Virginia's new quarter began when Governor James Gilmore III selected State Treasurer Susan F. Dewey to serve as liaison to the United States Mint for the 50 State Quarters® Program. Ideas were solicited from colleges, universities, museums, and state agencies. Public comment was overwhelming, with thousands of responses received.

Representatives from the Library of Virginia, the Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Department of General Services assisted the State Treasurer in selecting design concepts for the Virginia quarter. The citizens of Virginia were encouraged to provide their comments. Governor Gilmore then forwarded his final design concept recommendation, the Jamestown Quadricentennial, to the Secretary of the Treasury who gave final approval.  

Source: United States Mint's 50 State Quarters Program