Join officials from the United States Mint and the National Park Service for the launch of the quarter honoring Blue Ridge Parkway Thursday, June 25, 2015, at 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The ceremony will take place at Pack Square Park in Asheville, N.C. Invited guests include Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Grammy award-winning musician and TV host David Holt will serve as master of ceremonies.
A coin exchange, where the public can trade their cash for $10 rolls of new Blue Ridge Parkway quarters, will take place after the ceremony.
WHAT:
Blue Ridge Parkway Quarter Launch Ceremony and Coin Exchange
WHO:
- Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, North Carolina
- Principal Chief Michell Hicks, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
- Associate Director of Manufacturing David Croft, United States Mint
- Superintendent Mark Woods, Blue Ridge Parkway
WHEN:
10 a.m. EDT, Thursday, June 25, 2015
WHERE:
Pack Square Park
121 College Street
Asheville, NC 28801
Coin Forum
The evening before the launch ceremony–Wednesday, June 24, 7–8 p.m. (EDT)–the United States Mint will host a coin forum at Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center; Milepost 384; Asheville, NC 28802. The coin forum is an opportunity for the public to express their views about future coinage, and to learn about upcoming United States Mint coin programs and initiatives.
The Blue Ridge Parkway quarter is the 28th release in the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters® Program, a 12–year initiative to honor 56 national parks and other national sites authorized by Public Law 110–456. Each year, the public will see five new national sites depicted on the reverse (tails side) of the America the Beautiful Quarters. The United States Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which the national sites were officially established.
About the United States Mint
The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. The United States Mint’s numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
B-roll of the Blue Ridge Parkway Quarter is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUPkgzztIDQ.
Images of the Blue Ridge Parkway quarter are available at http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=photo#AmericaTheBeautiful.
Information about Blue Ridge Parkway is available at http://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm.
Information about the United States Mint and the America Beautiful Quarters Program is available at http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/.
