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The
Michigan quarter is the first of
2004, and the 26th in the United
States Mint's 50 State Quarters®
Program. On January 26, 1837,
Michigan became the 26th state to be
admitted into the Union. The Michigan
quarter depicts the outline of the
State and the Great Lakes system. The
quarter is inscribed "Great Lakes
State."
As indicated by the State's nickname, much
of Michigan's history is tied to the Great
Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and
Ontario. These are five of the world's
largest lakes that, together, encompass
more than 38,000 square miles and form the
largest body of fresh water in the world.
Michigan is the only State that borders
four of the five Great Lakes, more than any
other state. Standing anywhere in the
State, a person is within 85 miles of one
of the Great Lakes. To assist in
navigating, Michigan has 116 lighthouses
and navigational lights.
On November 28,
2001, Governor John Engler
established the 25-member Michigan
Quarter Commission. The Commission
members consisted of individuals from
the fields of education, art,
history, and numismatics. The
Commission solicited recommendations
for design concepts from the
residents of the State and received
over 4,300 suggestions. The
Commission narrowed the entries down
to five candidate concepts that were
approved by Governor Engler, and
forwarded them to the United States
Mint on May 10, 2002. Other design
concepts considered included
"Michigan State Outline, with Great
Lakes and State Icons," "Michigan
State Outline, with Great Lakes and
the Mackinac Bridge," "Michigan State
Outline, with the Mackinac Bridge and
Automobile," and "Michigan State
Outline, with Great Lakes and
Automobile."
In September 2003, following a consultation
with the Michigan Quarter Commission,
Governor Jennifer Granholm selected the
Great Lakes design.
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The Michigan coin depicts
the outline of the State and the
Great Lakes system. The quarter is
inscribed "Great Lakes
State."
United States Mint
image
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To
learn even more about the
State Quarters Program, please
visit,
The United States
Mint
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