The United States Mint has released the third America the Beautiful Quarter Dollar coin for 2017, honouring the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri.
The coin is the 38th overall design to be released in the America the Beautiful coin program. The program was first launched in 2010 and is set to run until at least 2021, and see the release of 56 new quarter dollar coin designs at a rate of five new coins per year. 2017 has thus far seen the release of the Effigy Mounds and Frederick Douglass National Historic Site coins, with the Ellis Island and George Rogers Clark National Historic Park coins yet to be released later in the year.
The Ozark National Scenic riverways coin commemorates a National park in southern Missouri that spans well over 80 000 acres or 324 square kilometres in total area. The main purpose of the protected land is to preserve the Jacks Fork and Current rivers. The park was created by an act of Congress in 1964, although only officially dedicated in 1971.
There are a number of historic sites within the boundaries of the park, including Alley Spring Mill which is featured on the new coin. The mill was built in 1894 and was at the time a working merchant mill used to turn wheat into flour. In addition to the pristine rivers, which are a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking, the park also protects over 300 caves, springs and untamed woodlands that include hiking trails. In all the park welcomes over two million visitors every year.
The Reverse of the coin depicts a view of the Alley Spring Mill, or the Old Red Mill as it is known locally, along with a section of the river flowing alongside it. The words “OZARK RIVERWAYS” appear to the top, with “MISSOURI” and “E LPURIBUS UNUM” flanking the scene to the left and right. Finally the date, “2017”, is inscribed to the bottom of the coin.
The obverse is turn is the familiar portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, which has appeared on the 25cent coin since 1932. “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “QUARTER DOLLAR” are seen in a semi-circle along the rim, with “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” flanking the portrait on either side. The mint mark appears to the lower right of the coin.
The mint is first releasing the coin in rolls and bags. 100 coin bags are available to order for each of the three mints producing the coin : “P” for Philadelphia, “D” for Denver and “S” for the San Francisco produced coins. These coins are all regular business strikes, produced on the main production floors of each facility. The bags are available to order at a price of $34.95 per bag of one hundred coins.
Next up are the rolls, each of which contain 40 coins, and is available to order directly from the US Mint in three product options. Firstly a single 40-coin roll of “S” mint marked coins at a price of $18.95 per roll. It should be noted at this time that the coins produced at the San Francisco mint, and as such displaying the “S” mint mark, are only available to order as a numismatic product from the mint and will not be released into general circulation.
The “P” and “D” coins however will be introduced into general circulation but are also available to order here in special 40-coin rolls and 100 coin bags. The “P” and “D” rolls can be ordered together in a two roll set for $32.95 per set. Then the final option is a three roll set that has one of each of the rolls for a price of $46.95.
The next release for the America the beautiful numismatic program is expected to be the Ozark Riverways three coin set, followed shortly thereafter by the 5oz silver version of the coin.
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