CVC & Collectables presents the 1999-P Pennsylvania State Quarter, the second issue in the U.S. Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program, struck at the Philadelphia Mint on copper-nickel clad planchets for everyday circulation and modern collections alike.
Coin Highlights
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Country: United States
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Denomination: 25 Cents (Washington Quarter)
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Year: 1999
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Mint & Mintmark: Philadelphia (P)
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Series: 50 State Quarters – Pennsylvania (2nd state issue, released March 8, 1999)
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Composition: Copper-nickel clad (outer layers 75% copper, 25% nickel over a pure copper core)
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Weight: 5.67 g; Diameter: 24.3 mm; Edge: Reeded
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Mintage (1999-P): 349,000,000 pieces
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Obverse: George Washington by John Flanagan, modified by William Cousins; standard State Quarter legends (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, QUARTER DOLLAR)
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Reverse: Statue Commonwealth over an outline of Pennsylvania with keystone symbol and state motto “Virtue, Liberty, Independence”
Historical Significance
The Pennsylvania State Quarter honors the “Keystone State,” a nod to the state’s key structural and political role in the early United States. Released on March 8, 1999, it was the second coin in the landmark 50 State Quarters Program, following Delaware. The reverse depicts the Commonwealth statue from atop the Pennsylvania State Capitol dome—her extended arm symbolizing mercy and her ribbon mace representing justice—set against the state outline and keystone emblem alongside the founding-era motto “Virtue, Liberty, Independence.”
Collectibility
As a first-year State Quarter and the Philadelphia circulation issue, the 1999-P Pennsylvania quarter is an essential piece for a complete 50 State Quarters run. While its mintage is high, collectors target sharper, original examples for albums and high-grade registry sets, often pairing the P-mint with the D-mint and the S-mint clad and silver proofs for a full four-coin Pennsylvania lineup. Attractive pieces with strong luster, minimal marks, or interesting die varieties and minor errors remain especially desirable.
