Uncovering America's Heritage... Coin by Coin

2004 Iowa Quarter

Greetings from Peter the Mint Eagle!  I'm proud to present the Iowa quarter as the coin for August.

Not only is this the newest quarter, but its "Foundation in Education" theme fits right in with going back to school.

Iowa's quarter says a lot about what the people of Iowa care about.  The design is based on a painting by an artist named Grant Wood, who was born in Iowa.  The painting, called "Arbor Day," shows a teacher and some students planting a tree outside their little schoolhouse.

Iowa and its Governor chose this image to show how they care about teaching children, growing plants, helping the environment, and bringing people together to make the world better.

Many early schools in small towns had only one room, where all the grades were taught.  You could say today's larger schools are built on this foundation...and, for Iowans and all the rest of us, our future growth has its foundation in education as well.