February 21, 2012 – 10:33 am
Acadia National Park coastline
Located on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park has long been recognized as something to be preserved. From rocky coastline to spectacular views – Acadia’s pristine landscape has made it one of America’s most popular national parks.
Originally, the land of Acadia was inhabited by four Native American tribes – the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Indians. Now, these groups are collectively known as the Wabanaki (which translates to People of the Dawnland). And from the beginning of October until early March each year, the park’s Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the United States to see the sun rise.
First protected as Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916, and eventually renamed Acadia National Park in 1929, this land became the first national park established east of the Mississippi River.
More information on Acadia National Park.
February 13, 2012 – 10:45 am
Chaco Culture National Historic Park quarter design
The final approved design for the Chaco Culture quarter, 12th National Park quarter in the series, was announced in early December, 2011.
The reverse of the second 2012 quarter, honoring Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico (established in 1907), features two kivas (round, subterranean chambers that are thought to have been used for religious ceremonies) of the Chetro Ketl pueblo.
Inscriptions on the coin’s reverse include the name of the site, chaco culture; its location, new mexico; the coin’s year of issue , 2012; and the motto, e pluribus unum. The obverse features a restored version of the George Washington portrait introduced on U.S. quarters in 1932.
February 7, 2012 – 9:10 am
Four candidate designs for the reverse of the first 2011 National Park quarter were submitted to the U.S. Treasury, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for consideration. Scheduled for release in April 2012, the 12th coin in the series will honor Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
U.S. Mint art for the top contenders for the Chaco Culture National Historic Park quarter design.
Three of the four designs feature kivas – round, subterranean chambers that are thought to have been used for religious ceremonies. The fourth design features New Mexico’s untamed landscape, which surrounds these awe-inspiring ruins.
The Commission of Fine Arts recommended a design depicting two kivas of Chetro Ketl – one of the many pueblos located throughout the park. The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee did not make a recommendation for any of the four proposed designs, instead stating the difficulty of showing this site on a quarter design. The final decision will be made by the Secretary of the United States Treasury.
These designs were created to honor the series of immense buildings, or pueblos, that were constructed in present-day New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon beginning in the mid-800s A.D.
January 27, 2012 – 1:43 pm
The 11th issue and first 2012 design of the America’s National Park Quarter Series, featuring El Yunque National Forest in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico, was released by the U.S. Mint on January 23, 2012. The popular 2010-2021 coin series is honoring a national park or historic site in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the 5 U.S. territories.
The reverse of the first 2012 issue features an endangered coqui tree frog and the threatened Puerto Rican parrot, which are both indigenous to El Yunque – the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. The obverse of the coin bears a smaller restored version of the original George Washington portrait introduced on U.S. quarters in 1932.
Add the new El Yunque National Forest quarters to your collection.
January 25, 2012 – 8:22 am
Located in northwestern New Mexico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park honors the pre-Columbian cultural center that thrived in the face of adversity hundreds of years ago. Established in 1907, Chaco Culture is the 12th site featured in the 2010-2021 National Park Quarter Series.
Cliff dwellings in New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon
Beginning in the mid-800s A.D., a series of immense buildings, or pueblos, were constructed in present-day New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon. Built by the Anasazi Indians, these structures were amazing in their scope. Even in an area that saw little rainfall and a short growing season, this pre-Columbian culture lasted over 300 years.
Through the years, the area has been extensively researched, and numerous artifacts have been unearthed. One of the park’s main attractions is the building known as Pueblo Bonito. The most researched of all the park’s buildings, it is thought to have been up to 5 stories high, with as many as 800 rooms.
