Coin Challenge Answers - Bird

Are you sure you are ready to check to see if you know which coin contains the long tailed bird flying through the sky?

Do you recognize the coin?

The coin was released in 2006 as either the 39th or 40th state in the State Quarters program from the US Mint. Both South Dakota and North Dakota became states on November 2, 1889. In 2006, coins commemorating both states were minted and distributed.

The coin is the South Dakota state quarter, which would be the 40th state if looking at the two states alphabetically:

The bird on the coin's reverse is the Chinese ring-necked pheasant, the state bird of South Dakota. It flies over the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is flanked on either side by wheat ears. The coin recognizes and honors South Dakota's treasures.

In the United States Code, the state quarter coins are considered "commemorative" coins. Generally, we think of commemorative coins as collectibles only. But, in the early days of the classic commemoratives, people circulated the coins for transactions.

Today, this is true for the state quarters program and for the new National Parks quarters as well. These quarter coins can be considered circulating commemorative coins.

The 2006 South Dakota quarter can be found in pocket change, 10-piece proof sets, 5-piece state quarter sets, 20-piece P-D mint sets, 2006 American Legacy Sets, 10-piece silver proof sets, and 5-piece silver state quarter sets.

In our book, Days of Our Coins, the South Dakota commemorative quarter coin is featured on November 2 (reverse).