Issued Date: November 6, 2006

Description: Released on November 6, 2006, as the 40th coin in the 50 State Quarters Program, the South Dakota quarter features the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, a flying Chinese ring-necked pheasant, and wheat stalks. Designed by John Flanagan and William Cousins, it highlights the state's natural beauty and agricultural heritage.

Key details about the coin include:

Reverse Design: The central image is the Mount Rushmore National Memorial (depicting4 presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln) with a ring-necked pheasant in the foreground and wheat stalks framing the sides.

Inscriptions: The coin features the state name "South Dakota," the year of admission "1889," the release year "2006," and the motto "E Pluribus Unum".

Significance: The design emphasizes the state's agriculture and natural history, with the pheasant representing a major attraction introduced to the state in 1908.

Minting: The coins were produced in both Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) mints, along with proof and silver proof versions.

There is also a separate 2012 "Mount Rushmore" quarter released as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.