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The
fifth and final commemorative
quarter-dollar coin released in 2007
honors Utah, and is the 45th coin in
the United States Mint's 50 State
Quarters® Program. Utah was admitted
into the Union on January 4, 1896,
becoming our Nation's 45th state.
The reverse of Utah's quarter features two
locomotives moving toward the golden spike
that joined the Central Pacific and Union
Pacific railroads, linking East to West and
transforming both the Utah Territory and
the Nation with the inscription "Crossroads
of the West." The coin also bears the
inscriptions "Utah" and "1896."
On May 10, 1869,
two steam locomotives met at
Promontory, Utah, for the "Joining of
the Rails Ceremony," at which the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific
railroads completed the
transcontinental route. The event was
crucial to the development of the
American West because it made
cross-country travel more convenient
and economical. The construction of
the railroad, and the subsequent
mining boom, brought diverse ethnic
and religious populations to Utah.
The railroad also symbolized the
changing technology, and moved Utah
from an agrarian economy to a more
industrialized one.
Even before the
time of steam locomotives, Utah
experienced a steady flow of
explorers and pioneers. The Spaniards
first came to explore Utah in the
18th century and were followed by
mountain men, Mormons and prospectors
in search of precious metals found in
the 1860s. Because of its central
location, Utah became known as the
"Crossroads of the West.
The Utah Commemorative Quarter Commission
invited narrative submissions from the
citizens of Utah. The Commission received
approximately 5,000 submissions and
recommended three concepts to the United
States Mint for rendering by the United
States Mint sculptor-engravers and artists
in the United States Mint's Artistic
Infusion Program. More than 150,000
citizens voted in a 25-day statewide vote
in April 2006. "Crossroads of the West"
prevailed as the favorite design among
voters. Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.,
announced the State¿s recommendation at the
Golden Spike National Historic Site in
Promontory on May 10, 2006, the 137th
anniversary of the Joining of the
Rails.
The Department of the Treasury approved the
design on June 22, 2006. The two other
design concepts considered were the
"Beehive," featuring a beehive, part of the
official seal and State emblem of Utah,
symbolizing industry and working together
for common purposes, and "Winter Sports,"
featuring a female snow boarder and
celebrating Utah as a world-class winter
sport destination and the site of the 2002
Winter Olympics.
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