Arizona State Quarters (Buy on eBay) were released on June 2, 2008 as the forty-eighth coin in the State Quarter series. This was the third release for the year 2008. Arizona’s original Statehood date was February 14, 1912.
The reverse design of the Arizona Quarter features a rendition of the Grand Canyon. The inscriptions include the State name, Statehood date, mintage date, “E Pluribus Unum,” and a banner reading “Grand Canyon State.” The coin’s reverse was designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Joseph Menna.
Arizona was the last state admitted to the continental United States. The design features the Grand Canyon, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. It is also part of the United States National Park System. The canyon is up to 6,000 feet deep. The reverse design also contains the Saguaro cactus in the foreground.
The governor appointed the Arizona Quarter Commission to solicit design suggestions from the state’s citizens. From over 4,200 ideas, five were chosen to forward to the United States Mint for artistic renderings. An online poll of the state’s citizens was held to select the final design. The US Treasury Department later gave final approval. Other designs considered but not selected featured the Navajo Code Talkers and the John Wesley Powell expedition of the Grand Canyon.
The Philadelphia mint produced 244,600,000 coins. The Denver mint produced 265,000,000 coins. Additionally, coins were produced at the San Francisco Mint in proof and 90% silver proof for inclusion in US Mint issued proof sets.
Arizona Quarter Mintages
- 2008-P Arizona Quarter: 244,600,000
- 2008-D Arizona Quarter: 265,000,000
- 2008-S Proof Arizona Quarter: 2,078,112
- 2008-S Silver Proof Arizona Quarter: 1,192,908
Arizona Quarter Specifications
- Designers: William Cousins after John Flanagan (obverse), Joel Iskowitz (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
