The Wisconsin Quarter
The Wisconsin quarter is the fifth of 2004 and the 30th in the 50 State Quarters® Program. On May 29, 1848, Wisconsin became the 30th state to be admitted into the Union. The Wisconsin design depicts an agricultural theme featuring a cow, a round of cheese, and an ear of corn. The design also bears an inscription of the state motto, "Forward."Agricultural Wealth Wisconsin adopted the State motto, "Forward," in 1851, reflecting Wisconsin's continuous drive to be a national leader. Wisconsin is considered "America's Dairy Land" with production of over 15 percent of the nation's milk. Wisconsin also produces over 350 different varieties, types, and styles of award-winning cheeses—more than any other state. There are approximately 17,000 dairy farms, with just over one million cows that produce an average of 17,306 gallons of milk each, per year.Wisconsin is also a major corn-growing state. In 2002, Wisconsin led the nation in corn silage production and, with 391.5 million bushels produced, it ranked fifth in the production of corn for grain (shelled corn). State corn production contributed $882.4 million to the Wisconsin economy in 2003. Wisconsin is also a leading supplier of mint.Choosing the Design In December 2001, Governor Scott McCallum appointed 23 people to the Wisconsin Commemorative Quarter Council to review and recommend candidate design themes. The state received over 9,600 suggestions, and the council narrowed the concepts down to six. After a statewide vote, Governor McCallum submitted three design concepts to the United States Mint: "Scenic Wisconsin, " "Agriculture/Dairy/Barns," and "Early Exploration and Cultural Interaction." In 2003, Governor Jim Doyle coordinated a statewide vote to select the final design, in which the "Agriculture/Dairy/Barns" design was the popular choice. This design was approved by the Secretary of the Treasury on October 9, 2003. 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:	October 25, 2004
	Design:	Head of a cow Wheel of cheese Ear of corn
	Captions:	"Forward"
	Designer:	Alfred Maletsky
	Engraver:	Alfred Maletsky
	Mintage:	Denver Mint - 226,800,000 Philadelphia Mint - 226,400,000 Total - 453,200,000
	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.