Hawaii State Quarter Debuts
The 50th State's long awaited entry in the U.S. Mint's immensely popular "50 State Quarters" program will be given a formal unveiling at noon tomorrow in downtown Honolulu. Its debut marks the end of a program that saw a special, limited edition quarter released every quarter since 1999.
Each quarter came out in the order the featured state joined the union, so Hawaii's quarter enjoys the distinct privilege of being the final piece of many a collector's set.
Although the U.S. Mint shipped the Hawaii quarters last week, most have yet to enter circulation. So tomorrow's event at Bishop Square will be the first time most people will have a chance to get them. Local banks, which have seen a jump in foot traffic with the release of every other state quarter to date, are expecting a rush on their tellers this week.
The design features King Kamehameha, and the Hawaii state motto: "UA MAU KE EA O KA ‘ĀINA I KA PONO," or "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness."
