United States Mint Launches Guam Quarter on June 4

With cultural dancing and chanting performances, Guam will say Hafa Adai to the new commemorative quarter-dollar honoring the island on June 4, 2009 in Hagatna, Guam. 

The public and media are invited to join United States Mint Director Ed Moy at the launch of the commemorative quarter honoring Guam at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna, Guam, on Thursday, June 4, at 9 a.m. Guam Governor Felix Camacho, First Lady Joann Camacho and invited guests will join in the ceremony that includes local entertainment and a coin exchange.

After the ceremony, the public may exchange their currency for $10 rolls of shiny, new Guam quarters. Children 18 years old and younger will receive a free quarter.

The new coin — released into circulation on May 26 — features ancient symbols of the Chamorro people and is the third one in the 2009 District of Columbia & U.S. Territories Quarters Program. 

The reverse design depicts the outline of the island, a flying proa (a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people) and a latte stone (an architectural element used as the base of homes).  Inscriptions on the reverse include GUAM and Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro, which means "Guam - Land of the Chamorro."

On the eve of the launch ceremony, Director Moy will host a Coin Collector’s Forum at the University of Guam’s College of Business and Public Administration, where the public can express their ideas for future designs on our Nation’s coinage. Visit www.usmint.gov or contact 202-354-7222 for the time the coin forum will take place.

The third quarter-dollar coin released in the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program honors Guam. Under the Organic Act of 1950, the people of Guam became American citizens and established a local government. 

The Guam quarter reverse design depicts the outline of the island, a flying proa (a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people), a latte stone (an architectural element used as the base of homes) and the inscriptions GUAM and Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro, which means "Guam - Land of the Chamorro." The proa represents the endurance, fortitude and discovery of the Chamorro people. The vessel, made by expert carvers and sailed by master navigators, is admired as a technical marvel. The latte speaks to a historic icon that hails from the Micronesian area. 

Selected Design: “Island, Flying Proa and Latte Stone” 

Guam Governor Felix P. Camacho solicited and reviewed reverse design narratives from the public, narrowing hundreds of submissions down to two – the outline of the Island of Guam with a flying proa and latte stone and a flying proa at sail, a coconut tree bending toward the water and Two Lovers Point in the background. These narratives were forwarded to the United States Mint for the production of artistic renderings, which were then proposed to the territory. Through a public vote, the island, flying proa and latte stone design was recommended for the Guam quarter, and former Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson Jr. approved it on July 31, 2008. 

• Initial Western contact with Guam occurred when explorer Ferdinand Magellan reached the southernmost Mariana Islands in 1521. 

• Chamorro is one of the official languages of Guam, and its usage is increasing there and on the Mariana Islands. 

• Guam’s estimated population for 2009 is approximately 154,000. Its capital is Hagatna.