January 18, 2012 – 1:16 pm
El Yunque National Forest quarter design
The final approved design for the first 2012 National Park quarter was announced by the U.S. Mint at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. on December 8, 2011. The new quarter design honors El Yunque National Forest, located on the U.S. Territorial island of Puerto Rico and the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System.
The coin’s reverse design features an endangered Coqui tree frog perched on a leaf, and a threatened Puerto Rican parrot behind an epiphyte plant with other tropical flora in the background. El Yunque is home to thousands of native plants including over 150 fern species and 240 tree species, as well as many small animals found nowhere else on Earth. The 28,000-acre rainforest became a federally protected site in 1903.
Inscriptions on the coin’s reverse include the site name (EL YUNQUE), location (PUERTO RICO), year of issue (2012) and motto E PLURIBUS UNUM. The obverse side features a restored version of the George Washington portrait introduced on U.S. quarters in 1932. The El Yunque quarter will be followed by other 2012 issues honoring Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, and Acadia, Hawai’i Volcanoes and Denali National Parks in Maine, Hawaii and Alaska respectively.
January 18, 2012 – 12:58 pm
U.S. Mint art for the top contenders for the El Yunque National Forest quarter design.
The U.S. Mint presented 5 finalist designs for the first new 2012 National Park quarter featuring El Yunque National Forest, located on the U.S. Territorial island of Puerto Rico and the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Two of the designs feature a waterfall, two others focus on exotic wildlife indigenous to El Yunque, and one design depicts a parrot and a stone fortress tower.
The designs are reviewed by the Secretary of the Interior, the chief executive of the host jurisdiction, the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Both the CFA and CCAC have endorsed design PR-04, depicting an endangered Coqui tree frog and a threatened Puerto Rican parrot. The frog is perched on a leaf, while the parrot is behind an epiphyte plant with tropical flora in the background.
After receiving and evaluating recommendations from all required sources, the Director of the U.S. Mint will make final recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury – who will make the final decision.
January 10, 2012 – 1:27 pm
Tropical stream in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico
The first 2012 issue of America’s National Park quarter series features El Yunque National Forest, located on the U.S. Territorial island of Puerto Rico. Established as a national site in 1903, El Yunque is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest system.
Containing Puerto Rico’s rugged Luquillo Mountains, the 26,000-acre site offers a year-round tropical climate and tremendous biodiversity. More than one million tourists from around the world visit El Yunque each year to experience and enjoy its lush tropical ecosystems and many beautiful trails.
El Yunque is home to thousands of native plants including 150 fern species and 240 tree species (33 of which are found only in this forest), as well as many small animals that exist nowhere else on Earth. The critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot is making a comeback in El Yunque through carefully monitored breeding and conservation efforts.
More information on El Yunque National Forest.
November 15, 2011 – 9:18 am
The 10th issue and final 2011 design of the America’s National Park Quarter Series, featuring Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma, was released on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at a special ceremony in the recreation area’s Flower Park. The popular 2010-2021 quarter 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.
Following the release ceremony, attendees could exchange cash for rolls of the new quarters – which depict Chickasaw’s Lincoln Bridge on the reverse. The beautiful limestone bridge was dedicated in 1909 to honor the centennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. The obverse bears a smaller restored version of the George Washington portrait introduced on U.S. quarters in 1932. Add the new 2011 Chickasaw quarters to your collection.
August 29, 2011 – 12:00 pm
The 9th issue and fourth 2011 design of the America’s National Park Quarters Series, featuring Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, was released by the U.S. Mint on August 30, 2011 at the park’s headquarters. The popular 2010-2021 quarter series is honoring a national park or historic site in each of the 50 states, D.C. and the 5 U.S. territories.
The reverse design of the 2011 Vicksburg quarter depicts the U.S.S. Cairo on the Yazoo River as the U.S. Navy warship would have been seen during the Civil War. The obverse bears a smaller restored version of the original George Washington portrait introduced on U.S. quarters in 1932. Add the new Vicksburg quarters to your collection.
