New quarters are debuting. Officials from the National Forest Service and United States Mint will introduce Louisiana’s Kisatchie National Forest Quarter in a ceremony on Wednesday, April 22.
Surrounding this event is a coin forum the night before the ceremony, and then immediately after the ceremony is a coin exchange. These events are free and open to the public.
Wednesday’s ceremony offers all attendees an early opportunity to acquire Kisatchie quarters, the second of five 25-cent designs for 2015 and the 27th release in the United States Mint’s series of America the Beautiful Quarters. The coin actually launched into general circulation earlier this week, on April 14, but it’ll likely be months to years before they commonly appear in pocket change across America. On Monday, April 20, Kisatchie quarters will be available from the U.S. Mint in bag and roll products.
Kisatchie National Forest Quarter Ceremony – Time and Location
Lasting around 30 to 40 minutes, quarter ceremonies are unique events for children, locals, and enthusiasts who like to get a first glance at new coins. Official dignitaries from the Kisatchie National Forest, the United States Mint, and the state of Nebraska will provide some historical background via short speeches, and then they will unveil the quarter. Named dignitaries include:
- Tom Tidwell, Chief of the United States Forest Service
- B.B. Craig, Associate Director for Environment, Safety and Health, United States Mint
- Tony Tooke, Regional Forester, United States Forest Service
- Eddie Taylor, Supervisor, Kisatchie National Forest
The ceremony’s location details follow:
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Time: 10 a.m. (CDT)
Location:
Alexandria Riverfront Center
707 Main Street
Alexandria, LA 71302
The following map shows the location of Alexandria Riverfront Center.
Coin Exchange
Always a favorite for those attending, the coin exchange starts right after the ceremony concludes. A local bank sets up tables at the ceremony to offer a venue to swap cash for $10 rolls of the new quarters. There is a one-roll ($10) minimum and a 10-roll ($100) maximum.
Coin Forum Prior to Kisatchie Quarter Ceremony
A free, United States Mint-hosted coin forum will take place the evening prior to the quarter ceremony. Coin forums are opportunities to express views and ask questions about existing, new and upcoming U.S. Mint products. These forums usually last about an hour, depending on the amount and type of questions.
Here are the coin forum’s time and location details:
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Time: 6-7 p.m. (CDT)
Location:
Kent Plantation House
3601 Bayou Rapides Road
Alexandria, LA 71303
The following map shows the location of the historic Kent Plantation House.
2015 Quarters
The program of America the Beautiful Quarters offers five different designs per year. Upcoming quarters for 2015 include designs dedicated to the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, and Saratoga National Historical Park in New York. 2015 Homestead National Monument of America Quarters for Nebraska appeared earlier this year.
When Kisatchie quarters become available from the U.S. Mint on Monday, April 20, production options will include 40-coin rolls, 2-roll sets, 3-roll sets and 100-coin bags, at prices ranging from $18.95 to $34.95. Kisatchie quarter products may be ordered online at catalog.usmint.gov. Coverage of these product releases will be offered here on CoinNews.net.
Ben Franklin finally gets his turkey, at least for a few months.