Grand Canyon - Arizona, U.S.A.
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Max and 99
N 36° 03.556 W 112° 10.117
12S E 394751 N 3991153
State of Arizona Quarter was released in June 2008. It depicts the Grand Canyon and a Saguaro cactus. Arizona became the Nation's 48th state, the last in the Continental United States.
Waymark Code: WMD5FJ
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 11/21/2011
Views: 86
The United States Mint's 50 State Quarters Program ran for 10 years, releasing 5 quarters a year in the order that the states were admitted to the Union. The head side of the Arizona State Quarter shows a profile of George Washington, and the words "United States of of America", "Liberty", "In God We Trust" and "Quarter Dollar".
The tail side of the coin has "Arizona 1912" at the top, and "2008 E Pluribus Unum" at the bottom. The design honoring the state shows the Grand Canyon at the top left, with a sun peeking out from the horizon. A banner with the words "Grand Canyon State" separates the Grand Canyon from a Saguaro cactus, which is shown with native shrubbery around it.
From the US50 website (http://www.theus50.com/arizona/quarter.php):
Quarter specifications:
Release date: June 2, 2008
Reverse (tails) Side: Grand Canyon State
Engraver: Joseph Menna
Standard Weight: 5.670g
Standard Diameter: 24.26mm
Thickness: 1.75mm
Edge Detail: Reeded
Composition: Cupro-Nickel Clas (8.33% Nickel/91.67% Copper)
The Grand Canyon, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world, is located in northern Arizona. The South Rim is a hot spot for tourists, and that area can be very very crowded during the summer months. The North Rim is much less crowded, but is closed during the winter months due to heavy snow. Approximately 4 million people visit the Grand Canyon yearly.
The South Rim has a lot of accomodations, amenities, numerous scenic overlooks, and many popular hiking trails. A free shuttle bus can take you just about anywhere you need to go at the South Rim. From some vantage points you can see the Colorado River below. The S. Rim has several visitor centers, there are bike rental kiosks, bookstores, post office, and retail stores.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and has a depth of over a mile.
From the Grand Canyon National Park page:
On 24 May 1869, Major John Wesley Powell (1834 - 1902), a Civil War veteran, and ten other men, set forth to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Powell came back in 1870 to explore the North Rim Plateau and made a second expedition through Grand Canyon in 1872.
By the 1880's, a number of live stock companies were developing in the Grand Canyon area of Arizona. By the 1890's it was estimated that there were over 100,000 head of cattle and more than 250,000 head of sheep grazing the land.
Kaibab National Forest was established in 1883, taking most of the Kaibab Plateau and by the time the Grand Canyon National Preserve was established in 1906, most of the ranchers were out of business. Why? The land was now desolate with sagebrush where lush grassland had been. It had been grazed out.
James T. Owens was appointed warden of the Grand Canyon National Preserve. He built a cabin and set up a mountain lion hunting business. Some 12 years and 600 mountain lions later, Uncle Jimmy, as he was know, began buffalo ranching on the plateau. Preferring the lower reaches of House Rock Valley, the buffalo moved down from the Plateau. In 1926, the buffalo were sold to the State of Arizona.
The first tourist facility was constructed in 1917 on the North Rim by W.W. Wylie. It provided minimum accommodations and was located near Bright Angle Point. At the same time, tourists camps were being developed at Bryce Canyon and Zion. Stephen T. Mather, the National Park Service's first director, encouraged the development to encourage people to visit these areas. In 1919, Congress made the Grand Canyon Preserve a National Park and established it's use for the enjoyment of future generations as a recreational resource, as well as recognizing the region's scientific value.
Money Issuing Country: United States of America
Currency: Quarter
Denomination: Quarter Dollar
Date of Issue: 06/02/2008
Type of Money: Coin
Relevant Website: [Web Link]
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