Welcome to the first edition of Making Cents. Just for kids, this bulletin lets you know what's new and striking at the United States Mint. Be sure to check back—so you can keep up with the latest coin issues.
Sacagawea Live On the Web
Which picture of Sacagawea will be on the new dollar coin?
For months, people across the country cast their votes.
On May 4, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton revealed the answer—to both the people at the White House ceremony AND everyone watching on the Web.
Missed the ceremony?
Don't worry, you can catch a "replay" of the Webcast.
And next year, be sure to look for the new gold-colored coin.
On the obverse (front), you'll see Sacagawea carrying her infant son on her back.
Starting next year, you can carry Sacagawea and her baby with you on your travels.
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It's Official: Coins Are Hot!
And so is the United States Mint's Web site.
During National Coin Week (April 18–24), USA TODAY featured www.usmint.gov as a "Hot Site".
The newspaper liked the site's interactive design and the 50 State Quarters™ Program.
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Years In the Making
George Washington, this country's first president, died 200 years ago in 1799.
To celebrate this great man's life, Congress recently gave the go-ahead for a commemorative coin.
The Mint, however, already had a coin design waiting in the wings!
Back in 1931, that design was submitted by Laura Gardin Fraser in a coin competition held for the bicentennial of Washington's birthday (February 22, 1732).
On May 7, 1999, this new coin with the 68-year-old design was officially released in a ceremony at Mt. Vernon, Washington's historic home in Virginia.
Sixty-eight years later, this portrait of George Washington appears on a commemorative coin.
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Now Your Screen Can Save Coins Too
Want to see all five 1999 state quarters up close before they're in circulation?
You can, with the FREE
50 State Quarters™ screensaver.
Once you install it on your computer, the screensaver will play a slideshow of the designs for the new Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut quarters.
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Coming to a Vending Machine Near You
The New Jersey quarter begins circulating in June!
The first-strike ceremony was held on May 5, 1999, at the Philadelphia Mint.
New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman pressed the button to create the first official quarter.
Following her lead, dozens of students from the Pond Road Middle School also minted their own NJ quarters.
Want to know more?
Read about
the event or visit
"The Coins Are Coming!"
Look for the New Jersey quarter, which began circulating in June 1999.
Did You Know?
The United States Mint's first delivery of coins—11,178 copper cents—was in 1793.
How does that compare to the Mint today?
Well, in January 1999 alone, the Mint made 781,670,000 pennies!
Find more
Fun Facts.
The copper cent, today known as the "penny," was the first coin delivered by the United States Mint.
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