2016 NPS Centennial Commemorative Gold Coin
2005 California State Quarter
The 2005 California State Quarter issued by the United States Mint, depicts naturalist and conservationist John Muir admiring Yosemite Valley’s monolithic granite headwall known as Half Dome with a soaring California condor.
On January 31, 2005, Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope released the following statement: "The Sierra Club applauds Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver for selecting the John Muir-Yosemite design for the California State Quarter. We also congratulate artist and Sierra Club member Garrett Burke for his winning design that pays such a wonderful tribute to California's natural and human heritage. John Muir literally coined conservation as we know it and so it's particularly fitting that we have placed him on the California quarter. Muir's relationship with Yosemite reminds us of the powerful connections that people have to nature, and how beautiful places can inspire us to reach incredible heights. That was essentially Muir's dream when he founded the Sierra Club over a century ago. John Muir's work is far from done. We still have spectacular coastline, cathedral forest, wild rivers and stunning desert, which are vulnerable but can be protected for future generations. I look forward to working with Governor Schwarzenegger and others to keep John Muir's legacy on a roll."
Comprehensive information about the California State Quarter, released on January 31, 2005:
Related Websites and News Updates
On March 29, 2004, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his selection of the John Muir- Yosemite design to represent the Golden State in the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarters ® Program. The design was adapted from a concept by Garrett Burke.
The U.S. Mint released the coins for only a ten-week period in early 2005. They are now found in normal circulation, and through coin dealers.
The U.S. Mint began minting the state quarters since 1999 and has scheduled five quarters to be released each year -- running from the Delaware quarter on Jan. 4, 1999, until the Hawaii quarter on Aug. 21, 2008.
The California state quarter is the 31st in the series to be issued.
Coin Specifications:
• Standard Weight = 5.670g
• Standard Diameter = 0.955 in (24.26mm)
• Thickness = 1.75 mm
• Edge = Reeded
• Composition = Cupro-Nickel Clad (8.33% Nickel, Balance Cu)
Sierra Club celebrates John Muir, Yosemite on California Quarter
Statement by Carl Pope, Executive Director (January 31, 2005 (archived page on archive.org WayBack Machine)
Check back on this page for frequent updates. Scroll down for lots more information!
John Muir California State Quarter Images
All images courtesy of the U.S. Mint
- View larger version of the above image
- Download high-res version of the above final-proof image (zipped TIFF file) [directly from U.S. Mint website]:
- Download High-res version of a U.S. Mint Line Drawing shown below : (1 MB)
The Governor's Selection and Process
- Governor Celebrates the Release of the 2005 California State Quarter (Photos, full text of Governor's Remarks, and watch a video of the January 31, 2005 release of the 2005 California State Quarter) - from archive.org Internet Archive Wayback Machine.
- HTML - PDF - Excerpts of Governor Schwarzenegger's Remarks at the Unveiling on March 29, 2004, of the new California Quarter with photos
- Complete transcript of Governor Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver and Dr. Kevin Starr at the March 29th, State Quarter unveiling
- Sierra Club Applauds Selection by Bruce Hamilton
- Interview of Designer Garrett Burke (with poster photos) - originally from Sierra Club Daily Scoop - now links to Internet Archive Wayback Machine
- Why Mint Muir? by Harold Wood
- Selection Process (outline)
- Links - Newspaper articles and other information about the Quarter
About the California State Quarter Designers
- Garrett Burke - concept designer - artist who conceived and submitted the winning coin concept
- Alfred Maletsky - recently retired U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver who rendered the design
- Don Everhart - sculptor - newly hired U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver who will model the final version of the coin
Audio
- California Quarter Unveiling Press Conference - with Maria Shriver, Dr. Kevin Starr, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - March 29, 2004 (mp3 format - 5.4 MB) (about 12 minutes) - Off-site link to Soundcloud.com
MP3 Embed from archive.org: - Reporter's Notebook: Design Unveiled for California Quarter - Interview of Kevin Starr - KCRW's "Which Way, LA?" radio discussion between Award-winning moderator Warren Olney and legendary California State Librarian Dr. Kevin Starr - March 29, 2004. (off-site link)
- Coin Talk Radio Program - May 10, 2004
Audio no longer available.
Guests:
Garrett Burke, Winning Design Submitter
Sarah Dalton, Co-Coordinator, The California State Quarter Project
Segment 1: [Original in Windows Media Player]
Garrett and Sarah discuss their involvement in the Quarter Project.
Segment 2: [Original Windows Media Player]
The Design submission and selection processes are discussed.
Segment 3: [Original Windows Media Player]
Using the State Quarters as an educational tool.
California Quarter Collectibles
- United States Mint Catalog - (
The United States Mint offered a variety of products, not only collectible coins themselves, but various other collectibles featuring the California quarter, including a collector spoon, a First Day Cover, and many related items. Many of these may no longer be available from the U.S. Mint, but can be found on Ebay and coin collector shops. - 2005 United States Mint 50 State Quarters Proof Set™ - January 6, 2005 - from the United States Mint (off-site link).
- Fleetwood California Heritage Eyewitness to History® Coin First Day Cover
- California Official First Day Coin Cover - (U.S. Mint) (released March 3, 2005
- California State Quarter Bear - 1
- California State Quarter Bear - 2
- Official California State Quarter Commemorative Holder
- Coins of America California State Quarter Holder
- Yosemite Association, Yosemite Commemorative Holder
- Sequoia Natural History Association, John Muir Stamp and California Quarter Collectible Sheet
California Quarter Corn Mazes
- G and M Farms John Muir California Quarter Corn Maze - Livermore, 2005
- Historic Cobb Ranch John Muir California Quarter Corn Maze - Fresno, 2006
California Quarter Sand Sculpture
- California Quarter Sand Sculpture - East Beach, Dunbar, Scotland - July, 2009
- See also newspaper article: US Muir coin designer in Dunbar - "AN AMERICAN [Garrett Burke] who designed a 25 cent coin in memory of Dunbar-born conservationist John Muir has said that East Lothian 'looks a million dollars'". (offsite link - East Lothian Courier, July 30, 2009) Note: this article incorrectly states that Burke helped create the sand sculpture above, but everyone involves affirms the sand sculpture was solely the creation of Jo Moulin and Duncan Smeed.