Officials from the United States Mint and the National Park Service today celebrated the launch of the Blue Ridge Parkway quarter, the 28th coin in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program and the halfway point in the program.
The quarter’s reverse (tails side) design depicts the grace and curvature of the road hugging the side of a mountain, with the North Carolina state flower in the foreground.
“This new quarter stands now as a tribute to this national scenic byway–a cross section of Appalachian mountain history essential to the story of our nation, tying together diverse landscapes and rich history,” said David Croft, Associate Director of Manufacturing at the Mint.
Additional speakers included North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods. Grammy award-winning musician and TV host David Holt served as master of ceremonies.
Many school-aged children attended the event, which included a coin exchange in which the public traded their cash for newly-minted Blue Ridge Parkway quarters. Collectible bags and rolls of circulating finish Blue Ridge Parkway quarters will be available for purchase from the Mint starting on June 29 at noon Eastern Daylight Time via its online catalog at http://catalog.usmint.gov/coin-programs/america-the-beautiful-quarters/ and at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).
The America the Beautiful Quarters® Program is a multiyear initiative to honor 56 national parks and other national sites in each state, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. The Mint is administering the program in accordance with Public Law 110-456, the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. Each year until 2020, the bureau will release five new quarters with reverse designs representing select national sites. The quarters are being issued based on the order in which the sites were established. The final coin in the program will be released in 2021.
More photos from the event (courtesy of the U.S. Mint):
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.
