United States Mint Launches America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin Honoring Voyageurs National Park Quarter
INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. (PRWEB) June 14, 2018 -- The United States Mint (Mint) joined the National Park Service today to launch the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. It is the third America the Beautiful Quarters coin issued in 2018 and the 43rd release in the series.
This latest quarter’s reverse (tails) design depicts a common loon with a rock cliff in the background. Inscriptions are “VOYAGEURS,” “MINNESOTA,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The obverse (heads) design depicts the 1932 restored portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.” A digital image of the quarter is available here.
In his remarks during the launch, Mint Director David J. Ryder said, “Just as the loon’s yodels and wails are a distinctive and timeless sound of Northern Minnesota’s wilderness and waterways, the Voyageurs quarter will echo the histories and cultures of the people who have been connected here through trade, industry, and recreation.”
Retired ornithology professor Leland Grim led a festive ceremony that featured musical performances by International Falls natives Gavia Yount and Darcy Sullivan. Boy Scouts of America Troop 150; Cub Scout Troop 145; Girl Scouts of America Troops 1150, 1151, 1153, and 1156; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guard 2948 also participated in the ceremony. Guest speakers were Ida Rukavina, Regional Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar; Peter Makowski, Regional Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Tina Smith; Tom Whiteside, who represented U.S. Congressman Rick Nolan; and Park Superintendent Bob DeGross.
“The beauty and recreational opportunities of Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota make it a fantastic year-round destination for sightseeing, fishing, boating, and hiking,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “The park's interconnected lakes, maze of water ways, 2.7 billion year-old exposed geological layers, campsites, and trails are examples of the many treasures and experiences available on America's vast network of public lands.”
The Mint bookended the coin launch with its customary public coin forum on the eve of the launch ceremony and a currency exchange for $10 rolls of Voyageurs National Park quarters the following day. Products containing the new quarter are available for purchase via the Mint’s online catalog.
Public Law 110-456 authorized the 2009 launch of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, a 12-year initiative that honors 56 national parks and other national sites. Each year until 2020, the public will see five different national sites depicted on the reverses of the America the Beautiful Quarters coins, with a final coin scheduled for release in 2021. The Mint is issuing these quarters according to the date each location was designated a national site.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
• Voyageurs National Park quarter b-roll.
• Interview with Voyageurs National Park quarter engraver Joseph Menna.
• Information about the United States Mint, the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, and the Voyageurs National Park.
Additional Contact Information
Voyageurs National Park:
Tawnya Schoewe, Chief of Interpretation
(218) 283-6670
[email protected]
United States Mint – Connecting America through Coins
Office of Corporate Communications, US Mint, +1 202-354-7222, [email protected]
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