Monroe Presidential $1 Coins Enter Circulation Feb. 14, Public Ceremony at Ash Lawn-Highland on Feb. 13

The first of the four Presidential $1 Coins this year will soon enter banks, stores and public transit systems. The James Monroe Presidential Dollar will be the first coin out of the gate starting on Feb. 14, 2008. However, in a ceremonial release one day prior, Monroe coins will be offered to the public in Ash Lawn-Highland.

If you’re like most Americans, you’re probably wondering what and where Ash Lawn-Highland is. That is one of the beauties of the presidential coin series. Each release of a new dollar helps provide the opportunity for small history lessons about the U.S. presidents.

Ash Lawn-Highland is located in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was the estate of President James Monroe. According to the Ash Lawn-Highland website,

"Ash Lawn-Highland is an historic house museum, 535-acre working farm, and performing arts site in Albemarle County, Virginia. President James Monroe and his wife, Elizabeth Kortright Monroe of New York, owned Ash Lawn-Highland from 1793 to 1826 and made it their official residence from 1799 to 1823. After the Monroes’ death, the name of their farm was changed from “Highland” to “Ash Lawn”; today both names are used …"

The Ash Lawn-Highland museum offers many interesting events throughout 2008. The ceremonial launch of the Monroe Presidential Dollar is sure to be one of the best.

Ceremony event information: location, time, hours and attendees

The United States Mint announcement of the James Monroe $1 Coin ceremony invites the public and media.

Location: Ash Lawn-Highland, 1000 James Monroe Parkway, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Time: 11:00 a.m. 

Date: February 13, 2008

Attending: The Acting Deputy Director of the United States Mint, Dan Shaver, will join Ash Lawn-Highland’s Executive Director, Carolyn Coggin Holmes, James Monroe Memorial Foundation President G. William Thomas Jr. and James Monroe re-enactor Dennis Bigelow for the event.