The second state quarter to be issued this year - and the 32nd of the 50 State Quarters Program - celebrates the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," Minnesota. The coin's design features two people fishing from a motorboat on a tree-lined lake, a loon on the water, and a textured outline of the state with the state's nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes." 

 "When people from around the world see our quarter, they will immediately associate Minnesota with the beautiful woods and waters of our natural resources," said Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty when he unveiled the design last year. 
 There are actually more than  15,000 lakes in Minnesota, and the  total shoreline of the lakes exceeds 90,000 miles.  Lined with Norway Pine, many of the lakes throughout the state offer much in the way of outdoor recreation, as well as providing a home for Minnesota's graceful state bird, the loon.  Minnesota is also home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This one-million acre wilderness area was established by Congress in 1978, and contains more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes and nearly 2,200 designated campsites. 
 Other designs considered for the Minnesota quarter were "State with Symbols" including the State outline, snowflake, loon and plow, and "Mississippi River Headwaters," and "Fisherman/Lake Recreation." 

 The State Quarters Program began in 1999 and is a ten-year program. Each year, five quarters are released in the order states joined the Union. Earlier this year, the California State Quarter was issued. Coins honoring Oregon, Kansas, and West Virginia will also be issued this year.