In 2007, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to continue the Statehood
Quarter Series by minting commemorative quarters for both the District
of Columbia and five U.S. Territories. The five territories to
be granted quarters were: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, The U.S.
Virgin Islands, and the Mariana Islands. All of these
quarters would feature the same obverse as the Statehood Quarter Series
with new reverses for each coin. Each reverse would be
designed to be emblematic of the specific District or Territory.
All were to be produced in the year of 2009, marking the
first time that 6 separate quarters were minted in the same year.
The governing bodies of each locale to be featured were
tasked with choosing design themes for their particular quarter.
The Washington
District and Territory Quarters were minted in
2009 at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints.
The DC
& Territory Quarters have the same
composition as the state quarters for their business strikes, proof,
and proof silver issues. All
of the Quarters
have a diameter of 24.3 mm and a reeded edge. The composition
of the business strikes are .9167 copper and .0833 nickel, with a total
mass of 5.67 g. The silver proof issues are .900 silver and
.100 copper with a mass of 6.25 g.