With the 2009 Quarters Silver Proof Set released Monday, the United States Mint stopped selling the 2008 State Quarters Silver Proof Set.

The latest Mint sales figures indicate 427,511 of the 2008 sets were sold. Generally, sales averaged under 1,400 sets a week for the last several, although the most recent numbers picked up to 1,565.

The set includes quarter-dollars commemorating the last states honored in the 50 State Quarters® Program with coins for Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii. Read the rest of this entry »

Program Nets Nearly $3 Billion from Increased Quarter Demand over Decade

WASHINGTON - The United States Mint is wrapping up the 50 State Quarters® Program, the national phenomenon that sent Americans searching through their change for the latest quarter to add to their collections.  It is estimated that 147 million Americans have been collecting the coins in the 10-year 50 State Quarters Program, which has honored each state in the order it ratified the U.S. Constitution or was admitted into the Union.  The program, authorized by Congress, kicked off in early 1999 with the introduction of the Delaware quarter and concludes at the end of 2008 with the Hawaii commemorative quarter-dollar coin. 

"This groundbreaking initiative has been the most successful coin program in the Nation’s history," said United States Mint Director Ed Moy, who participated in the launch ceremony for the Hawaii quarter on November 10, 2008.  "The 50 State Quarters Program has educated a generation of Americans about the history and geography of the States.  It has also generated tremendous state pride and encouraged citizens to consider which images should symbolize the region where they live."

Nearly six million free lessons plans about the quarters and the states they celebrate have been downloaded by teachers, parents and students from the United States Mint’s award-winning H.I.P. PocketChangeTM web pages for children at http://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/lessonPlans/50sq/.

During the decade of the 50 State Quarters Program, the United States Mint issued more than 34 billion quarters to the Federal Reserve Banks (FRB) and earned $6.1 billion in seigniorage.  The United States Mint estimates that, of the total, the 50 State Quarters Program has generated between $2.7 and $2.9 billion.  The extra earnings were transferred to the Treasury General Fund.  This estimate of additional seigniorage does not include the final figures generated by the quarters honoring Alaska and Hawaii. Read the rest of this entry »

Governor Sarah Palin’s office announced as late as last night that she would be spending today at the Alaska State Fair to introduce the newest state quarter into circulation.

Governor Palin had a more important ceremony to attend, however, as she took her place beside Sen. John McCain’s Friday and was selected as his vice presidential candidate.

While Alaska found itself in the national spotlight during the historic political announcement, the ceremonial release of the Alaska commemorative quarter continued as planned.

Standing in for Governor Palin at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer was Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell, who was joined by United States Mint Deputy Director Andrew Brunhart.

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The United States Mint pulled out all the stops in the final week of August with the launch of several new coin products and the resumption of American Eagle gold coin sales to authorized dealers. The active week concludes with the Mint’s ceremonial release of the newest state quarter at the Alaska State Fair on Friday.

The scope of the Mint’s releases are best seen through a summarization of published articles that were released toward the end of August.

2008 U.S. Mint Silver Proof Sets Arrive August 26

The 2008 United States Silver Proof Set™ will be offered by the U.S. Mint Tuesday, August 26 at noon (ET). The 14 coin proof set carries the same $44.95 price tag as the 2007 sets, and no order limits are in place.

Each coin in the set bears the “S” mint mark, denoting they were manufactured at the United States Mint at San Francisco.

This year’s set includes the final five commemorative quarters to be issued in the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters® Program…

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Alaska State Quarters in Bags and Rolls

The newest state quarters honor Alaska with bags and rolls of the coins available Monday from the United States Mint.

Collectors can order 100- and 1,000-coin quarter bags or two-roll sets with 40 coins each from the U.S. Mint facility at Denver and Philadelphia.

The Alaska state quarter is the 49th, and second to last coin released in the United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program. The popular program began in 1999…

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Andrew Jackson Individual Proof $1 Coins

The Andrew Jackson Individual Proof $1 Coin will be available through the United States Mint Thursday, August 28, at 12 noon (ET).

Andrew Jackson was was the seventh President of the United States and the special individual proof coins honoring his presidency are priced at $5.95 each.

There is a $4.95 standard shipping and handling charge, which makes the total cost…

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US Mint Resumes Limited American Eagle Gold Coin Sales

Overwhelming demand forced the United States Mint to suspend one-ounce American Eagle gold coin sales to their network of Authorized Purchasers on August 17.

The suspension of the investment gold coins has been lifted — at least on a limited basis, according to a U.S. Mint memo to its authorized dealers on August 22.

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Alaska State Quarter to Roll Out at State Fair, Public Coin Forum

The ceremonial launch of the commemorative Alaska state quarter will occur at the Alaska State Fair, the United States Mint announced Thursday.

The Alaska state quarter is the 49th coin in the popular United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program.

The reverse or tails side of the coin features a grizzly bear emerging from the water clutching a salmon in its jaws.  The North Star is depicted above the inscription “The Great Land.” 

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Jackson Liberty First Spouse Gold Coins Arrive Aug. 28

Jackson Liberty First Spouse gold coins will be available from the United States Mint on Thursday, August 28.

The 1/2-ounce proof and uncirculated versions are priced at $619.95 and $599.95, respectively. Both versions have a face value of $10, are composed of 24-karat gold, and have a total mintage of 40,000.

The current prices are the same as the Louisa Adams and Elizabeth Monroe spouse gold coins, even though gold has come down in price recently.

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The newest state quarters honor Alaska with bags and rolls of the coins available Monday from the United States Mint.

Collectors can order 100- and 1,000-coin quarter bags or two-roll sets with 40 coins each from the U.S. Mint facility at Denver and Philadelphia.

The Alaska state quarter is the 49th, and second to last coin released in the United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program. The popular program began in 1999 and ends with the Hawaii commemorative quarter set for release in November. To date, over 33.7 billion state quarters have been struck.

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The ceremonial launch of the commemorative Alaska state quarter will occur at the Alaska State Fair, the United States Mint announced Thursday.

The Alaska state quarter is the 49th coin in the popular United States Mint 50 State Quarters® Program.

The reverse or tails side of the coin features a grizzly bear emerging from the water clutching a salmon in its jaws.  The North Star is depicted above the inscription “The Great Land.” 

Additional inscriptions are “Alaska” and “1959,” which is the year the state was admitted into the Union.

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Arizona quarters were launched into circulation yesterday with the United States Mint release ceremony on the lawn of the state Capital in Phoenix.

The ceremony was full of local excitement with a Mariachi band playing, free mint ice-cream drumsticks and free Arizona quarters for everyone 18 and under. Earlier, United States Mint Director Ed Moy commented,

"Children make up a good portion of the 147 million Americans plugging the coins into their commemorative folios or folders. This has educated a whole generation of Americans in geography and history."

The Arizona state quarter is strikingly attractive with its Grand Canyon and saguaro cactus design theme. Over 4,200 quarter design suggestions from across the state were sent to the 24-member Arizona State Quarter Commission appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano.

From those, five designs rendered were created by United States Mint artists, and the final one selected as the template for some 500 million minted Arizona quarters.

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A few days ago the U.S. Mint announced the release ceremony for the Arizona state quarter. On the same day of the ceremony, June 2, 2008, millions of Arizona state quarters will have been minted.

Demand dictates how many Arizona quarters there will be in total. Based on previous state quarter production figures, around 500 million is a likely bet.

Getting hundreds of millions of coins into circulation takes time. Instead of waiting for the Arizona quarter, collectors will have the opportunity to buy special Mint-sewn bags and a two-roll set of them directly from the U.S. Mint.

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Arizona, the Grand Canyon state, will launch their grand quarter into circulation starting with an official release ceremony on June 2, 2008. The public invited event will host Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and United States Mint Director Ed Moy and includes several planned activities. There is also a special Coin Collectors Forum on the day prior.

The Arizona commemorative quarter is the third for this year and the 48th quarter-dollar in the 50 State Quarters® Program set for release. Arizona was the 48th state to be admitted into the Union on February 14, 1912. 

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The New Mexico state quarter entered circulation yesterday and it was kicked off with its ceremonial launch held at the state’s capitol building in Santa Fe.

Along with hundreds of people, including children and the Santa Fe All-Stars, on hand for the ceremony were New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and United States Mint Director Ed Moy.

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