U.S. Mint art for the top contenders for the Mt. Hood quarter design.
The Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon, established in 1893, will be honored on the reverse of the fifth and final National Park quarter for 2010. In September 2009, both the Commission of Fine Arts and Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee reviewed 4 designs for the reverse of this new commemorative and submitted recommendations to Treasury officials. The Mount Hood National Forest quarter is expected to be released around November.
All four of the proposed 2010 quarter designs feature Mt. Hood’s dramatic peak, but the views vary. One shows the mountain with an apple orchard in the foreground, the other with the Portland skyline, and two feature a rippling lake. Both the CCAC and CFA favored the proposed design showing the Mount Hood with Lost Lake in the foreground. Ultimately, the Treasury Secretary makes the final decision about the design for this coin.
Originally known as the Cascade Range Forest Reserve, the area was eventually renamed the Mt. Hood National Forest in 1924. It is located about 20 miles from the city of Portland. At over 11,230 feet, Mt. Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon and very popular with hikers and climbers. In 1792, Lt. William Broughton, who was part of Vancouver’s discovery expedition, named the mountain after British Admiral Samuel Hood. The new 2010 National Park series quarter, last for the year, will capture the geological features and rich history associated with Mount Hood National Forest for all collectors.
