On Thursday, March 24, the 2016 National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coins were ceremoniously launched near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Mint, National Park Service and National Park Foundation introduced and then opened sales of the collectible coins. Buyers claimed 62,977 of them in the first day.
"These coins — mementos today and heirlooms tomorrow — celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service," said National Park Service Deputy Director Peggy O’Dell. "Their purchase will help support vital park programs and contribute to the centennial legacy."
Options include $5 gold, silver dollar, and 50c clad in collector qualities of proof and uncirculated. As CoinNews wrote about earlier, all four U.S. Mint production facilities participated in making them. Each bears a mint mark denoting where they were struck with ‘W’ for West Point; ‘P’ for Philadelphia, ‘S’ for San Francisco; and ‘D’ for Denver.
Here’s a chart showing the available production options, their mint marks, their first-day sales and their prices:
| Product Options | Mint Marks | First-Day Sales | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof $5 Gold Coin | ‘W’ | 1,849 | $400.45 (may vary) |
| Uncirculated $5 Gold Coin | ‘W’ | 1,489 | $395.45 (may vary) |
| Proof Silver Dollar | ‘P’ | 14,409 | $45.95 |
| Uncirculated Silver Dollar | ‘P’ | 6,957 | $44.95 |
| Proof Clad Half-Dollar | ‘S’ | 12,088 | $21.95 |
| Uncirculated Clad Half-Dollar | ‘D’ | 7,414 | $20.95 |
| Three-Coin Proof Set | ‘W’, ‘P’ and ‘S’ | 6,257 | $466.45 (may vary) |
Proof coins are almost always more popular. They stand out because of their frosted designs and mirror-like backgrounds. For the first day, the proof-to-uncirculated sales ratio was 3-to-1.
To order the commemorative coins, visit the United States Mint’s online store, right here, or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
