Mississippi Quarter Completes 2002 Series

 The Mississippi quarter is the  fifth and last quarter of 2002 and 20th in the State Quarter Program. The coin's design features two magnolia blossoms and the inscription "The Magnolia State."  The year "1817" appears beneath the name of the state and refers to the year that Mississippi entered the Union. 

 The magnolia is the official state flower and the official state tree of Mississippi, which is nicknamed "The Magnolia State" because of the many Magnolia trees and flowers. 

 The magnolia, which is named for the French botanist Pierre Magnolia, is strongly associated with the South, where the flower became enormously popular after it was introduced from Asia.

 In response to the United States Mint's request for design concepts for the Mississippi quarter, Governor Ronnie Musgrove submitted three concepts on June 22, 2000, a Magnolia flower with a branch, a Mockingbird, and "Mississippi - The Magnolia State."

 The United States Mint provided Governor Musgrove with three candidate designs from which he chose "The Magnolia State" on July 3, 2001.

 Over a ten-year period, the State Quarters Program will honor all 50 states in the order in which they were admitted to the Union. The Mississippi coin is the fifth State Quarter to be issued in 2002. Earlier this year, coins honoring Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, and Indiana were issued. Next year's state quarters will honor  Illinois, Alabama, Maine, Missouri, and Arkansas.