The beginning of Quarter-Eagle coinage in 1796 saw two distinct design types for the date. The first of these, known as the "No Stars type", is without stars on the obverse. Although its mintage (963 pieces) is more than double that of the second type (the "With Stars" type offered here), its status as a one-year-only type has increased its popularity, overshadowing that of this much rarer type. On June 1, 1796, Tenessee was admitted to the Union and an extra star was added to the design of certain coins, including the Half-Dollar and Quarter-Eagle. As the new country grew however, Mint Director Elias Boudinot realized the potential difficulties of adding a star to our coins for each new state; early in 1797, he ordered the star count to remain at a steady thirteen representing the original colonies, a tradition that continues today.