Governor Sarah Palin’s office announced as late as last night that she would be spending today at the Alaska State Fair to introduce the newest state quarter into circulation.
Governor Palin had a more important ceremony to attend, however, as she took her place beside Sen. John McCain’s Friday and was selected as his vice presidential candidate.
While Alaska found itself in the national spotlight during the historic political announcement, the ceremonial release of the Alaska commemorative quarter continued as planned.
Standing in for Governor Palin at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer was Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell, who was joined by United States Mint Deputy Director Andrew Brunhart.
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The ceremonial launch of the commemorative Alaska state quarter will occur at the Alaska State Fair, the United States Mint announced Thursday.
The Alaska state quarter is the 49th coin in the popular United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program.
The reverse or tails side of the coin features a grizzly bear emerging from the water clutching a salmon in its jaws. The North Star is depicted above the inscription “The Great Land.”
Additional inscriptions are “Alaska” and “1959,” which is the year the state was admitted into the Union.
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Arizona quarters were launched into circulation yesterday with the United States Mint release ceremony on the lawn of the state Capital in Phoenix.
The ceremony was full of local excitement with a Mariachi band playing, free mint ice-cream drumsticks and free Arizona quarters for everyone 18 and under. Earlier, United States Mint Director Ed Moy commented,
"Children make up a good portion of the 147 million Americans plugging the coins into their commemorative folios or folders. This has educated a whole generation of Americans in geography and history."
The Arizona state quarter is strikingly attractive with its Grand Canyon and saguaro cactus design theme. Over 4,200 quarter design suggestions from across the state were sent to the 24-member Arizona State Quarter Commission appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano.
From those, five designs rendered were created by United States Mint artists, and the final one selected as the template for some 500 million minted Arizona quarters.

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A few days ago the U.S. Mint announced the release ceremony for the Arizona state quarter. On the same day of the ceremony, June 2, 2008, millions of Arizona state quarters will have been minted.
Demand dictates how many Arizona quarters there will be in total. Based on previous state quarter production figures, around 500 million is a likely bet.
Getting hundreds of millions of coins into circulation takes time. Instead of waiting for the Arizona quarter, collectors will have the opportunity to buy special Mint-sewn bags and a two-roll set of them directly from the U.S. Mint.
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Arizona, the Grand Canyon state, will launch their grand quarter into circulation starting with an official release ceremony on June 2, 2008. The public invited event will host Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and United States Mint Director Ed Moy and includes several planned activities. There is also a special Coin Collectors Forum on the day prior.

The Arizona commemorative quarter is the third for this year and the 48th quarter-dollar in the 50 State Quarters® Program set for release. Arizona was the 48th state to be admitted into the Union on February 14, 1912.
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The New Mexico state quarter entered circulation yesterday and it was kicked off with its ceremonial launch held at the state’s capitol building in Santa Fe.

Along with hundreds of people, including children and the Santa Fe All-Stars, on hand for the ceremony were New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and United States Mint Director Ed Moy.
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The second commemorative state quarter for release in 2008 honors New Mexico. The countdown for its circulation has officially started with the U.S. Mint’s announcement of the release ceremony on April 7, 2008. There is also a special coin collectors forum on the day prior.

The New Mexico quarter is the 47th coin in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program. Roughly 1,000 concepts were suggested by New Mexico residents. Four of them were given to the U.S. Mint for artist renderings:
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