![\"National](\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Coins-510x293.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The United States Mint began issuing a series of 56 quarters featuring the National Parks as part of their America the Beautiful Quarters Program. This year\u00a0is\u00a0the seventh year of the program and five new quarters\u00a0will be issued. I mentioned in the Friday News last November\u00a0that the U.S. mint had their designs for a series of new National Park coins\u00a0that are\u00a0not related to the America the beautiful program. The mint recently held a media day at their San Francisco facility to show off their progress.<\/p>\n
The San Francisco mint only produces special commemorative coins these days. \u00a0The coins you are more likely to find in your pocket are minted in Denver and Philadelphia. \u00a0These commemorative\u00a0coins are packaged at the mint and some are sold in special sets, in this case a $5 gold coin, $1 silver coin and a half-dollar clad coin. \u00a0Federal law established that the mint will produce\u00a0100,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half dollar coins in proof and uncirculated qualities.\u00a0\u00a0Surcharges collected from the sales of each coin,\u00a0$35, $10 , and $5, respectively, for each coin\u00a0will be\u00a0paid to the National Park Foundation for their programs in support of the National Parks.<\/p>\n
The design of the half dollar clad\u00a0coin is shown to the right. \u00a0As you can see\u00a0the head’s side of the half-dollar has\u00a0a backpacker\u00a0exploring a spectacular, but unidentified,\u00a0wilderness and a small child discovering a frog hiding in ferns. \u00a0On the tail’s side is\u00a0the Park Service logo. \u00a0Click the photo for a larger version.<\/p>\n The one dollar silver coin highlights Yosemite National Park and its founding fathers Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir on the head’s side and a\u00a0Latina Folkl\u00f3rico dancer and the National Park Service logo on the tail’s side. \u00a0The\u00a0idea is to highlight\u00a0the multi-faceted cultural experience found in\u00a0the National\u00a0Parks even though that experience involves a tiny number of Hispanic and African Americans. \u00a0Still, the story of Native Americans is woven throughout the National Parks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Don Eberhart, who designed and engraved both sides\u00a0of the $5 coin explained his approach saying, “The National Park Service gold obverse has a portrait of both Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir on it. \u00a0And, they are superimposed in front of half dome which is in Yosemite Park. And, actually, the approach I took with both sides of this coin was to integrate both the figures into the landscape . \u00a0So, John Muir’s beard actually flows right into the landscape on the obverse. \u00a0On the reverse of the National Park Service gold, I followed the same theme of integrating the environment with, in this case, the symbol of the National Park Service which is this arrowhead. \u00a0So, the arrow is in front of the landscape and the landscape kind of merges into that. So I have that theme working on both sides and I kind of like that.”<\/p>\n Gold Obverse<\/strong> Gold Reverse<\/strong> Silver Reverse<\/strong> Clad Obverse<\/strong> Clad Reverse<\/strong> The Mint will begin accepting orders for the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service Commemorative Coins Program on March 24, 2016 at noon Eastern Time. \u00a0You should be able to find the sets on the U.S. Mint’s website<\/a> then.<\/p>\n![\"50](\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/50centBIG.jpg\")
<\/a>The 20 or so participants watched some of the inner workings of the mint. \u00a0The oldest Park Service Ranger, Betty Soskin was a\u00a0featured guest. \u00a0She pushed the button and made a single\u00a0Park Service centennial half-dollar coin. \u00a0She was able to hold it, but not keep it. \u00a0The mint doesn’t give away money and they checked all the people, and Ms Soskin in particular, with metal detectors to make sure none of the coins escaped the facility.<\/p>\nDesigners Speak<\/h1>\n
<\/a>Joseph Menna, designer and engraver of the head’s side of the $1 silver coin has said, “It was fun to do when you get to realize your own design intent, that’s very satisfying. \u00a0And then you’ve also designed it with the challenges of \u2026 the technical challenges \u2026 in mind. So, it’s a lot easier to sculpt your own design.”\u00a0His design depicts Old Faithful Geyser at Yellowstone National Park along with a bison.<\/p>\nCoin Details<\/h1>\n
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Don Everhart
\nEngraver:<\/strong>\u00a0 Don Everhart
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 features John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt with Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome in the background.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “2016” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”<\/p>\n
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Don Everhart
\nEngraver:<\/strong>\u00a0 Don Everhart
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 features the National Park Service logo.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM” and “$5.”<\/p>\n<\/a>Silver Obverse<\/strong>
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Joseph Menna
\nEngraver:<\/strong>\u00a0 Joseph Menna
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 features Yellowstone National Park’s Old Faithful geyser and a bison.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CENTENNIAL,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1916” and “2016.”<\/p>\n
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Chris Costello
\nEngraver;<\/strong>\u00a0 Jim Licaretz
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 depicts a Latina Folkl\u00f3rico dancer and the National Park Service logo, representing the multi-faceted cultural experience found in America’s national parks.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “$1” “HERITAGE,” “CULTURE” and “PRIDE.”<\/p>\n
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Barbara Fox
\nEngraver:<\/strong>\u00a0 Michael Gaudioso
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 features a hiker discovering the majesty of the wilderness and a small child discovering a frog hiding in ferns, celebrating the diversity and breadth of the National Park Service.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “2016,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “1916” and “NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.”<\/p>\n
\nDesigner:<\/strong>\u00a0 Thomas Hipschen
\nEngraver:<\/strong>\u00a0 Charles L. Vickers
\nDescription:<\/strong>\u00a0 features the National Park Service logo.\u00a0 Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “HALF DOLLAR,” “STEWARDSHIP” and “RECREATION.”<\/p>\nBuy the Coins<\/h1>\n