The Rhode Island Quarter
The Rhode Island quarter, the third quarter of the 2001 series, honors the "Ocean State."  Featuring a vintage sailboat gliding through Rhode Island's famous Narragansett Bay, and an image of the Pell Bridge in the background, with the design showcasing Rhode Island's most popular sport—sailing. The Sailing Capital With more than 400 miles of coastline, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, has more than 100 fresh water and salt water beaches.  Known as the "sailing capital" of the world, Rhode Island was home to the America's Cup for more than 50 years. Narragansett Bay is crucial to the architecture of Rhode Island. An inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, extending into eastern Rhode Island, the bay receives four major rivers, and has several islands. Choosing the Design Selection of the design began when Governor Lincoln Almond issued an order authorizing the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts to organize a Coin Concept Advisory Panel. More than 500 design concepts were submitted to the panel, and three finalists were chosen. Rhode Island residents were invited to vote for their favorite design at area libraries, the Statehouse and via the Internet.  The sailboat design was declared the winner, earning 57 percent of the 34,566 votes cast. The 50 State Quarter ProgramSigned into law in 1997, the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act has become the most successful numismatic program in American history, with roughly half of the U.S. population collecting the coins, either in a casual manner or as a serious pursuit. The program produces five different reverse designs each year for ten years—each representing a different state—the order of which is determined by the order states were admitted to the Union. Design concepts are submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury by state governors for final approval. The obverse of each quarter is a slight redesign of the quarter's previous design. The cost to manufacture a quarter is about 5 cents, providing a profit of approximately 20 cents per coin. So far, the federal government has made a profit of $4.6 billion from collectors taking the coins out of circulation. In 2009, the U.S. Mint launched a separate program issuing quarters commemorating the District of Columbia and various U.S. territories.
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	PROFILE
	Release Date:	May 21, 2001
	Design:	Yacht Narragansett Bay Pell Bridge
	Captions:	"The Ocean State"
	Designer:	Daniel Carr
	Engraver:	Thomas D. Rodgers
	Mintage:	Denver Mint   - 447,100,000 Philadelphia Mint   - 423,000,000 Total   - 870,100,000
	SPECIFICATIONS
	Denomination:	Quarter Dollar
	Composition:	Copper Nickel alloy 91.67% Cu 8.33% Ni
	Weight:	2.000 oz (5.670 g)
	Diameter:	0.955 in (24.26 mm)
	Thickness:	0.07 in (1.75 mm)
	Edge:	Reeded
	No. of Reeds:	119
	Data Source: The U.S. Mint.