SILVER 2009 S GEM BU PROOF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STATE QUARTER KEY DATE COIN#451

Description

About District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarters
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For the quarters issued from 1999 to 2008, see 50 State Quarters. For the quarters issued from 2010 to the present, see America the Beautiful Quarters.
Obverse design of the quarter
The District of Columbia and United States Territories Quarter Program was a one-year coin program of the United States Mint that saw quarters being minted in 2009[1] to honor the District of Columbia and the unincorporated United States insular areas of Puerto Rico, Guam, United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The islands commonly grouped together as the United States Minor Outlying Islands were not featured, as the law defined the word "territory" as being limited to the areas mentioned above.[2] It followed the completion of the 50 State Quarters program. The coins used the same George Washington obverse as with the quarters of the previous ten years. The reverse of the quarters featured a design selected by the Mint depicting each territory/federal district. Unlike on the 50 State quarters, the motto "E Pluribus Unum" preceded and was the same size as the mint date on the reverse.
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia submitted three different designs to the United States Mint for its quarter: one with the District's flag, one depicting Benjamin Banneker, and one depicting Duke Ellington.[14] The District suggested that each of the three designs include either the words "Taxation Without Representation" or "No Taxation Without Representation",[14] both of which refer to the District's efforts to obtain full representation in Congress.[15] The Mint rejected both messages, because of its prohibition against printing controversial inscriptions on coins.[15][16] The Mint said that, while it takes no stance on the voting rights of the District, it considers the messages controversial because there is currently "no national consensus" on the issue.[15] In response, the District revised its designs for the quarter, replacing the text with "Justice for All",[17] which is the District's motto.[15] The District also changed the design with the District's flag to a design depicting Frederick Douglass.[17] Following a vote by District residents, Mayor Adrian Fenty recommended that the Mint select the design that depicts Duke Ellington, while expressing the District's disappointment that the Mint had disallowed the phrase "Taxation Without Representation".[18]
It is the first non-commemorative American currency to depict an African American. Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver were featured on commemorative half dollars struck in the 1950s.
Puerto Rico
The Senate of Puerto Rico approved a resolution in June 2008, co-sponsored by Senate President Kenneth McClintock and Senate Minority Leader José Luis Dalmau, urging the United States Mint to select an image of the Arecibo Observatory for Puerto Rico's commemorative quarter. On December 15, 2008, U.S. Representative José Serrano of New York released the winning design, the second option developed by the United States Mint.[19] This design depicts a bartizan (sentry turret) and a view of the ocean from Old San Juan, a Flor de Maga (Maga tree flower), and the motto "Isla del Encanto", meaning "Island of Enchantment". The Puerto Rico quarter was the first U.S. coin with an inscription in Spanish.[20]
Guam
Pictured on the Guam quarter are the shape of the island of Guam, a proa boat, and a latte stone pillar. The inscription "Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro" means "Guam, Land of the Chamorro" in the Chamorro language.[21]
American Samoa
The quarter for American Samoa shows an ava bowl, a fue whisk and to'oto'o staff (symbols of traditional authority), and a view of the coastline showing a coconut tree. Inscribed on the coin is the motto of American Samoa, "Samoa Muamua Le Atua", which means "Samoa, God is First" in the Samoan language.[22]
U.S. Virgin Islands
Pictured on the U.S. Virgin Islands quarter are the outlines of the islands of Saint Croix, Saint Thomas, and Saint John, a palm tree, a bananaquit bird, and a yellow cypress flower, along with the motto "United in Pride and Hope".[23]
Northern Mariana Islands
The quarter for the Northern Mariana Islands depicts the sea shore, with a latte stone, two fairy terns, a Carolinian canoe, and a mwar (head lei).[24]