Final designs for the reverse or tails side of 2016-dated America the Beautiful Quarters and companion America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins have been released by the United States Mint.
2016 marks the seventh year of issues commemorating national parks and other national sites in the United States and its territories. Released at a rate of five each year, these latest designs are the 31st through 35th of the at least 56 scheduled. They honor:
- Shawnee National Forest in Illinois,
- Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky,
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia,
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, and
- Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Monument in South Carolina.
Release dates for the 2015 America the Beautiful Quarters and five-ounce silver coins have not been announced but they will be issued in intervals throughout the year.
Design Images of the Reverses
Below are United States Mint line art images and brief descriptions of all five designs that will appear on the reverse side of the quarters and companion coins. They were selected from among nearly three dozen candidate designs.
Shawnee National Forest (Illinois)
The design depicts a close view of Camel Rock with natural vegetation in the foreground and a red-tailed hawk soaring in the sky overhead. Inscriptions are "SHAWNEE," "ILLINOIS," "2016," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
This reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Justin Kunz and will be engraved by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (Kentucky)
The design features a frontiersman gazing across the mountains to the West. Many pioneers used Cumberland Gap on their journey into the western frontiers of Kentucky and Tennessee. Inscriptions are "CUMBERLAND GAP," "KENTUCKY," "2016," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," and "FIRST DOORWAY TO THE WEST."
This reverse was designed by AIP artist Barbara Fox and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (West Virginia)
The design features John Brown Fort, the site of John Brown’s last stand during his raid on the Harper’s Ferry Armory. Inscriptions are "HARPERS FERRY," "WEST VIRGINIA," "2016," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
This reverse was designed by AIP artist Thomas Hipschen and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
The design depicts a young Theodore Roosevelt on horseback surveying the terrain near the Little Missouri River. Inscriptions are "THEODORE ROOSEVELT," "NORTH DAKOTA," "2016" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
This reverse was designed by AIP artist Joel Iskowitz and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Monument (South Carolina)
The design depicts Sergeant William Jasper returning the regimental flag to the ramparts while under attack from a British ship. Inscriptions are "FORT MOULTRIE," "SOUTH CAROLINA," "2016," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
This reverse was designed by AIP artist Richard Scott and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.
Obverse Design
America the Beautiful coinage share the same obverse design, a portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. This image has been on quarter-dollars since 1932. The portrait underwent digital enhancements in 2010 to bring out more of the beauty of the original model.