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1999 DELAWARE 50 STATES
QUARTER™
PCGS Nos: 5944, 5945, 96042,
96043
Mintage:
Circulation strikes:
1999-P 373,400,000
1999-D 401,424,000
Proofs:
Designer:
Obverse: John Flanagan
Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
Metal content:
Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center - 100% Copper
Weight: ±88
grains (±5.7 grams)
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark:
On the obverse just right of the ribbon:
"P" for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"D" for Denver, Colorado
"S" for San Francisco, California
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Images courtesy of the United
States Mint
Varieties:
Struck on Experimental Planchet
Notes:
The Delaware quarter's
reverse celebrates Caesar Rodney's historic horseback ride in 1776.
The Delaware quarter, depicting the historic
horseback ride of Caesar Rodney, galloped onto the scene as it kicked off the
much anticipated U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters™ Program.
Caesar Rodney was a delegate to the
Continental Congress. On July 1, 1776, despite suffering from asthma and cancer,
Rodney set off on the 80-mile journey to Philadelphia withstanding
thundershowers and a severe summer heat wave. The next day, he arrived at
Independence Hall just in time to cast the deciding vote in favor of our
nation's independence. This native of Dover has also held more public offices
than any other Delaware citizen. In addition to an extremely dedicated delegate,
Rodney was also a soldier, judge, and speaker of Delaware's Assembly.
Through an Executive Order issued by Delaware
Governor Thomas R. Carper on February 2, 1998, state residents were encouraged
to submit design concepts to the Delaware Arts Council. The Council received
over 300 submissions. With the governor's approval, the Council forwarded
several concepts to the U.S. Mint for review and execution of drawings. From
there, three selected designs were reviewed and approved by the Citizens
Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee, the Fine Arts Commission, and the
Secretary of the Treasury. Next, the governor's office conducted a telephone and
e-mail opinion poll. Caesar Rodney received 948 of the 1,519 total votes. The
quill pen and parchment and the allegorical 'Lady Liberty' designs received 336
and 235 votes, respectively. Friday, June 12, 1998, the Caesar Rodney selection
for the Delaware quarter was made public at a press briefing in Dover, DE. An
art and drama teacher, fittingly employed at Caesar Rodney High School,
submitted the selected design concept.
The finest Uncirculated
1999-P Delaware Quarter examples graded by PCGS are 11 MS-68's.
The finest Uncirculated
1999-D Delaware Quarter example graded by PCGS is a single MS-68.
The finest 1999-S
Delaware Proof Deep Cameo examples graded by PCGS are 1754 PRDC-69's.
The finest 1999-S
Delaware Proof Deep Cameo "Silver" example graded by PCGS is a
single PRDC-70.
Sources
and/or recommended reading:
United States Mint website at www.usmint.gov "New
Feature Follows Sales, Mintages" by Ray Sidman, NUMISMATIC NEWS, September
5, 2000, page 24
"The PCGS
Population Report, July 2003" by The Professional Coin Grading
Service
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