America the Beautiful Quarters Continue Rotating Designs

By Dylan Chase

In 2010 a new series of quarters will be launched by the United States Mint. The America the Beautiful Quarters series will issue a total of 56 circulating quarter dollar coins over the course of twelve years, featuring National Parks or other National Sites from each of the states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

The new series begins two years after the conclusion of the popular 50 State Quarters Program. From 1999 to 2008, the US Mint released a total of fifty different coins to honor each of the states. Average Americans were able to learn more about history and geography by examining the coins received in change. A separate program was launch in 2009 to feature the remaining United States Territories and Washington, DC.

America the Beautiful Quarters will share some aspects of the prior programs, but take a different focus and introduce a new collectible. Similarly, the 56 coins will feature unique reverse designs paired with a constant design for the heads side of the coin. The obverse will feature a restored portrait of George Washington, as it originally appeared on the 1932 Washington Quarter. The quarters will be released at the same rate of five new designs per year, released in roughly equal intervals. Since the coins will be issued for circulation, once again anyone can collect the series through pocket change.

What makes the new series distinctive will be the shift in focus towards National Parks and Sites. The legislation which created the program specified that this may include any area under the management or conservancy of the National Park Service (NPS), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW), or the United States Forest Service (USFS). This broad definition opens eligibility to hundreds of federally designated sites around the country and throughout the territories.

A program of silver bullion "quarters" will be introduced to accompany the series. The coins will contain 5 ounces of .999 fine silver and bear designs which are duplicates of the circulating quarters. Collectors have shown interest in the series since it will provide a large 3 inch diameter to display the unique designs of the series.

The America the Beautiful Quarters scheduled for release during the inaugural year of 2010 will feature Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon. - 31405

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