United States Mint Celebrates Official Release of 51st America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin

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United States Mint

Feb 13, 2020, 19:00 ET

UTULEI, American Samoa (PRWEB) February 13, 2020 -- The United States Mint (Mint) today officially launched the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring the National Park of American Samoa. This is the first release of 2020, and the 51st coin overall in the program.

The reverse (tails) of the quarter depicts a Samoan fruit bat mother hanging in a tree with her pup, evoking the remarkable care and energy that this species puts into their offspring. The design is intended to promote awareness of the species’ threatened status due to habitat loss and commercial hunting. The National Park of American Samoa is the only park that is home to the Samoan fruit bat. Inscriptions on the coin are “NATIONAL PARK,” “AMERICAN SAMOA,” “2020,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

During his remarks, Mint Director David J. Ryder spoke about the significance of the new quarter design: “The National Park of American Samoa quarter serves as a symbol of conservation and care. Just as the mother fruit bat nurtures and protects her pup right here in the park, the people and villages of American Samoa work together to safeguard these protected resources.”

Additional participants included Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale; Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen; Fiu Saelua, chief of staff of the governor’s office, who also served as master of ceremonies; Stanley Austin, Regional Director of the National Park Service’s Pacific West Region; and Scott Burch, Superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa.

The Mint released collectible rolls and bags of National Park of American Samoa quarters on February 3. These products can be purchased online at catalog.usmint.gov/coin-programs/america-the-beautiful-quarters-program/ or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

The America the Beautiful Quarters® Program is a 12-year initiative that honors 56 national parks and other national sites authorized by Public Law 110-456. Each year of the program, the public has seen five new national sites depicted on the reverses (tails sides) of the America the Beautiful Quarters coins, with a final coin scheduled for release in 2021. The Mint is issuing these quarters in the order in which the national sites were officially established.

About the United States Mint
Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

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Tracy Scelzo Chavez, United States Mint, http://www.usmint.gov, (202) 354-7222, [email protected]