Puerto Rico Quarter Ceremonial Launch
The United States Mint on Thursday ceremoniously introduced the 2009 Puerto Rico quarter, which is the second of six commemorative quarters issued in the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program.
US Mint Director Ed Moy was joined by Governor Luis Fortuño in a local ceremony where they celebrated the release and handed out free quarters to children 18 years and younger.
"Puerto Rico’s striking quarter design evokes its tropical beauty, rich history and bi-lingual culture," Moy said. "With San Juan Bay as the background of the coin, the hibiscus flower and 16th century sentry box remind us that Puerto Rico stands for ‘rich port.’"
The quarter-dollar reverse or tails side was designed by US Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna. It depicts a sentry box in Old San Juan overlooking the sea and Puerto Rico’s official flower, the hibiscus. The reverse also includes the inscriptions Isla del Encanto (Island of Enchantment), making it the first U.S. coin to circulate with a phrase in Spanish.
The commemoratives were actually released into circulation Monday, which is also the same day the Mint began offering bags and rolls of Puerto Rico coins to the public. 139 million were struck for circulation, according to Mint 2009 quarter production figures.
DC quarters featuring Duke Ellington were issued in January. Quarters for Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will follow in equal intervals throughout 2009.
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April 18th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
do you know how i can find one of the pureto rico coin
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:48 am
I oder 2 rolls of Puerto Rico quater.About two and 1/2 week ago.And I still have not reciev it.
May 19th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
Does anyone know why the designers of the quarter placed the hibiscus flower instead of our national flower? According to official records, The Maga Flower is our National Flower. The hibiscus is recognized as the national flower for Malaysia and South Korea.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:58 am
The Maga grandiflora and the P R Hibiscus are the same flower.
September 10th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Thanks Bob,
I guarantee you that there are quite a few of us that didn’t know that Maga and Hibiscus were the same thing.
Rafael