Who doesn't love music? You may have heard of Nashville, the country music capital of Tennessee. It's home to many famous musicians, as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Ford Motor Company Theatre.
But did you know that the state quarter also features a guitar? It's not a traditional design, but the instrument is still featured on one of the circulating commemorative quarters issued by the United States Mint.
The 2002 Tennessee state quarter is the 16th coin released in a series of 50 State quarters, minted from 1999 to 2008. They were a moneymaking venture for the federal government.
These circulating coins feature unique designs on the reverse of each State, and on the obverse they feature George Washington. The program was approved by Congress in 1997 as part of a broader change to the coinage system.
Each design is based on an idea submitted by citizens of that state. The ideas are then voted on by the State Coin Commission and selected by the Governor.
When choosing a design, the Commission seeks to capture the state's culture and history. The Connecticut quarter, for example, has a dramatic engraving of its mighty Charter Oak tree, a symbol of the state's long history.
A number of other states have chosen to stick to more traditional concepts, such as an outline of the state surrounded by regional flora and fauna, or a portrait of a famous historical figure. New York's design, for instance, recalls the Statue of Liberty.