Washington State Quarter

After a long creation process and a statewide poll, Governor Chris Gregoire launched the salmon leaping in front of Mount Rainier as Washington's state commemorative quarter in April 2007.

At the ceremony, held in Seattle, Governor Gregoire, US Mint Director Edmund C. Moy, First Mike and other members of the State Quarter Advisory Commission passed out new quarters to hundreds of children.

“I think it's important that we have something natural. We are really a state that thinks much of our natural heritage," Gregoire said.

The Washington quarter-dollar features the traditional image of George Washington on the obverse (heads side) and images representing the State of Washington on the reverse (tails side). The Washington image includes a king salmon breaching the water in front of majestic Mount Rainier. The coin bears the inscriptions “The Evergreen State,” “Washington” and “1889.”

“Washington has a vested interest in the quarter – all quarters already have one side that honors Washington with a profile of our first president,” said Governor Gregoire. “With the minting of our design, these quarters will be 100 percent Washington.”

Seattle Times article on the Washington State Quarter Launch Ceremony