This week several events will kickoff the new America the Beautiful Quarters Program in earnest.
Foremost among them is the release of the 2010 Hot Springs National Park Quarter, which is the first of the coins to honor a National Park or National Site in the United States.
From now until 2021, a total of 48 National Parks, 2 U.S. Fish and Wildlife sites, and 6 U.S. Forest Service sites will be celebrated on the reverse of 56 different quarters -- one for each American state and territory, and the District of Columbia.
Four major events surround the first quarter-dollar release.
- First, the Hot Springs quarter enters circulation on Monday, April 19, 2010, through the U.S. banking system. Local banks can order replacement quarters from the Federal Reserve, and some of them will be the 25-cent Hot Springs coins. They will gradually begin to enter circulation at varying rates and through a variety of cities.
- Second, bags and rolls of the quarters may be purchased directly from the United States Mint beginning at noon Eastern Time on Monday. For collectors and others willing to pay a premium, this is an assured way to acquire the new circulating coins. Available options include a two-roll set priced at $32.95 and 100-coin bags priced at $35.95 each. The two-roll sets include one roll each of 40 coins -- one bears the "P" mint mark and the other the "D" mint mark, denoting production in Denver and Philadelphia. The bags may be purchased with strikes from either Mint facility. Customers may order directly from the Mint Web site at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog, or at the toll-free number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
- Third, also on Monday at 5:00 p.m. Central Time, U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy will host a coin forum that is open to the media and public. The range of topics will most certainly cover the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters, as well as other coin items brought up by attendees and Mr. Moy. The coin forum will be held at the Quapaw Bath House, 413 Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs, Arkansas, 71901.
- Finally, the ceremonial launch of the quarter will occur on Tuesday, April 20, at 10 a.m. Central Time. (The day coincides with the 178th anniversary of the park.) The ceremony will be held at the front of the Hot Springs National Park Administration Building and is expected to last under an hour. Children 18 an under will receive a new quarter for free. Adults can exchange cash for $10 rolls of the coins, with an upper limit of $100 stated.
The Hot Springs National Park quarter features the park's headquarters building with a fountain in the foreground. To the side of the door on the building is the National Park Service (NPS) emblem. It was designed by Don Everhart and sculpted by Joseph Menna.
Later this year the four remaining 2010 quarters will be released with similar launch events. These coins honor Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.
Later in the summer the quarter designs will be duplicated on America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins. These .999 fine silver coins weigh 5 ounces and are 3 inches in diameter. As a bullion product, the Mint will sell them to its authorized dealers who in turn will resell them for a small premium over the current spot price of silver.
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