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Welcome to the summer 2006 issue of Making Cents, the online newsletter that tells you what's new and striking at the United States Mint. Be sure to check back every 3 months for a new issue.
Quarters of the Quarter: Colorado and North Dakota
We're now in the third quarter of the eighth year of the 50 State Quarters Program®. We and the quarters in this program are working our way westward across the nation in the order the states joined the Union. The first of the two quarter designs we'll look at here is Colorado.
The Colorado River earned its name from the reddish color of its waters, as the Spanish word "Colorado" means "red-colored." What colors the water is Colorado's red earth, which makes the name "Colorado" fit the whole state.
Of course, red isn't the only color that makes Colorado colorful. With a little imagination, you can see the colors in the other parts of the coin's design. The trees shown are ever green, and the mountains, in different lights from the blue sky, can seem to range from brown to purple, often with white snow at the top. A gracefully curving banner underlines the whole design and the whole idea, as the banner announces the state's motto: "Colorful Colorado."
The state that follows Colorado (released in May) is North Dakota, to be released during the summer. This coin's design is also colorful in its own way. Just seeing an American bison (or buffalo) makes you think of the colorful, wild West and the vast open plains where these grand animals once roamed so freely.
Maybe the bison and the butte ("byoot") shown on North Dakota's quarter will inspire you to learn more about this land. After all, learning about our country is one of the best values you can get from the 50 State Quarters Program!
Both the Colorado quarter and the North Dakota quarter have their own pages among the others in the 50 State Quarters Program section of "The Coins Are Coming." Each quarter also has been or will be featured as Coin of the Month—Colorado in June 2006 and North Dakota in September 2006. Check them out!
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Time Machine on Shaky Ground
Your H.I.P. Pocket Change Pals are off on another adventure through time and space this summer. Their destination: San Francisco, California, 1906. What lures them there? Finding out about one of the most exciting events in the city's history—and in the history of the United States Mint!
1906 was the year in which a terrible disaster struck the city of San Francisco: a major earthquake, which started fires that burned out of control. Between the quake and the fires, most of the city was destroyed, including the business district and its banks.
When you join Plinky and her friend on the trip, you'll find out how the San Francisco Mint building stood strong even when all the buildings around it were in ruins. You'll also see how the Mint helped the city get back on its feet! Head for the Time Machine and set your course for 1906.
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A Battle and a Gathering Worth Remembering
It was summertime in Pennsylvania when Union and Confederate soldiers came together to fight the Battle of Gettysburg. It was summertime 25 years later when those same soldiers came together again to remember that terrible battle and celebrate their new unity. They met again after another 25 years, and again on the 75th anniversary of the battle. This was to be the final gathering (in 1936), since few of the original soldiers remained alive. But this special occasion was recorded on a special coin.
Which coin? Fortunately, you don't have to sit and wonder about that question for long. You can get the answer by reading July's Coin of the Month! Bill the Mint Buffalo is your guide to the story behind this fascinating half dollar.
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Summer Word Find Puzzle
We hope you've enjoyed this issue of Making Cents. Click to see and print out the word find puzzle. Most of the words in the puzzle are used in this issue. Have fun finding them! They can appear vertically, horizontally, or diagonally up or down.
Check your answers with the answer key.
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