02 Jan 10 America the Beautiful Quarters Continue Rotating Designs

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 quarter series follows the success of the 50 State Quarters Program. This series of fifty different quarters ran from 1999 to 2008 and allowed Americans learn about the history and diversity of the different states simply by examining their pocket change. A one year program featuring the United States Territories and District of Columbia followed in the year 2009.

The prior programs and the new America the Beautiful Quarters program share some similarities, but also have some differences. Similarly, the new program will feature unique reverse designs for each subject, released at a rate of five new designs per year. The obverse of the coins will feature a constant design, which is a restored portrait of George Washington. The quarters will be issued for general circulation, allowing anyone to collect the coins from change received at everyday transactions.

The focus of the series will shift National sites. Under the authorizing legislation, this includes any site under the supervision, management, or conservancy of the National Park Service, United States Forest Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or similar department or agency of the federal government. Sites selected for the program include National Parks, National Forests, National Preserves, and National Wildlife Refuges.

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 entire register of sites to be depicted on the America the Beautiful Quarters Program were recently released by the United States Mint. The sites will be featured in the order that the sites were federally designated. Collectors can look for the first release of the series featuring Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, expected to be released in April 2010.

Learn more about America the Beautiful Quarters. Find more detailed information on the separate America the Beautiful Bullion Coins.

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