Louisiana
The 'Louisiana Purchase,' which greatly expanded U.S. territory, is engraved alongside a brown pelican and a trumpet.
Louisiana is a state located in the southern United States, where the Mississippi River flows into the sea. Its nickname is “The Pelican State,” taken from the brown pelicans that live in this region. Issued in 2002, this quarter is the 18th coin in the 50 States series.
The reverse of the coin depicts the state bird, the brown pelican, together with a trumpet and musical notes, as well as the outline of the area expanded by the “Louisiana Purchase” drawn over a map of the United States. Below is the inscription “Louisiana Purchase.”
The Louisiana Purchase was a historic event in which the United States bought a vast expanse of land in this region and greatly increased the size of the country. The wide outline marked on the map shows the scale of that event at a glance. The trumpet with flowing notes symbolizes the rich musical culture that flourished in this region.
Louisiana joined the Union as the 18th state of the United States on April 30, 1812. The pelican symbolizing nature, the music symbolizing culture, and the great event that changed the nation’s history are all contained together on a single coin.
When you consider why so many stories are layered onto one coin, you sense that Louisiana cherishes nature, culture, and history all alike. This quarter quietly tells the story of how the country of the United States grew larger.