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Connecticut State Quarter

The Connecticut quarter, the last 50 State Quarters® Program coin issued in 1999, features "The Charter Oak": an integral part of Connecticut's heritage and existence. If not for the famed "Charter Oak", Connecticut - and this country in general - might be a very different place than it is today.

On the night of October 31, 1687, Connecticut's Charter was put to a test. A British representative for King James II, challenged Connecticut's government structure and demanded its surrender. In the middle of the heated discussion, with the Charter on the table between the opposing parties, the candles were mysteriously snuffed out, darkening the room. When visibility was reestablished, the Connecticut Charter had vanished. Heroic Captain Joseph Wadsworth saved the Charter from the hands of the British and concealed it in the safest place he could find - in a majestic white oak. This famous tree, "The Charter Oak," finally fell during a great storm on August 21, 1856.

Quarter Specifications

Release Date: October 12, 1999
Reverse (tails) Side: The Charter Oak
Engraver: T. James Ferrell
Standard Weight: 5.670g
Standard Diameter: 24.26mm (0.955 in)
Thickness: 1.75 mm
Edge Detail: Reeded
Composition: Cupro-Nickel Clad
(8.33% Nickel / 91.67% Copper)

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