Pennsylvania State Quarters (Buy on eBay) were released on March 8, 1999 as the second coin in the 50 State Quarter Program. Pennsylvania’s original Statehood date was December 12, 1787.
The reverse design features the statue “Commonwealth,” an outline of the state, and a keystone. The inscriptions include the State name, Statehood date, mintage date, “E Pluribus Unum,” and the State motto “Virtue, Liberty, Independence.” The coin’s reverse was designed by William Cousins and engraved by John Mercanti.
The statue upon which the design is based was designed by sculptor Roland Hinton Perry and sits atop Pennsylvania’s state capitol dome in Harrisburg. The keystone honors the state’s nickname “The Keystone State.”
The design was selected by the governor from four finalist designs after initial review and approval by the Treasury Secretary, Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee, and Fine Arts Commission. Initially, more than 5,300 design ideas had been recommended by Pennsylvania citizens and reviewed by a 14-member committee formed by the governor.
The Philadelphia mint produced 349,000,000 coins. The Denver mint produced 358,332,000 coins. The San Francisco Mint produced clad proof and 90% silver proof coins for inclusion in government issued proof sets.
Pennsylvania Quarter Mintages
- 1999-P Pennsylvania Quarter: 349,000,000
- 1999-D Pennsylvania Quarter: 358,332,000
- 1999-S Proof Pennsylvania Quarter: 3,713,359
- 1999-S Silver Proof Pennsylvania Quarter: 804,565
Pennsylvania Quarter Specifications
- Designers: William Cousins after John Flanagan (obverse), William Cousins (reverse)
- Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel (clad), 90% silver, 10% copper (silver proof)
- Diameter: 24.26 mm
- Weight: 5.67 grams
- Thickness: 1.75 mm
- Edge: Reeded
