New Hampshire
The state that cried "Live Free or Die." Its reverse features the rocky face of the "Old Man of the Mountain."
New Hampshire is a state in the northeastern United States, and its nickname is “The Granite State.” It is a nickname that came from its mountainous terrain, where much hard granite is found. In the 50 State Quarters series, it was issued in 2000 as the ninth coin (No. 9).
The figure at the center of the coin’s reverse is the “Old Man of the Mountain.” It was a natural rock formation where a mountain cliff looked like a human profile, and beside it are engraved nine stars along with “Old Man of the Mountain” and the state motto “Live Free or Die.”
The nine stars engraved on the coin carry a special meaning. They represent the fact that New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. This “ninth” was not merely a matter of order, but the decisive single vote by which the Constitution actually took effect.
New Hampshire ratified the Constitution on June 21, 1788, becoming the ninth state. The rock face shaped by nature and the bold motto “Live Free or Die” show this state’s character well.
Holding the coin and gazing at the Old Man of the Mountain, you come to encounter both how a single symbol made by nature can become a region’s pride, and the hearts of people who cherished freedom above all else.