Owner Comments:
NATIONAL PARK QUARTERS
The coins release order is dictated by the order in which the honored sites came under the direct control of the federal government. As such, the Hot Springs National Park Quarter was the first to be released as the site was granted federal protection on April 20, 1832. Conversely, the last coin to be released in the program will be the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter, scheduled for 2021, with that site only being established on November 6, 1998.
All of the sites are honored on the reverse (tails side) of the fifty-six quarter dollars issued in the series with a design emblematic of that location. The obverse (heads side) of each coin will contain the same design, a portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States. This image of Washington was initially used on the circulating 1932 quarter dollar and was designed by John Flanagan. The same portrait has been used on the quarters ever since 1932, with some modifications occurring in 1999 as part of the 50-State Quarter series.
National Park of American Samoa Quarter – The National Park of American Samoa Quarter honors the park in American Samoa that is unique in the national park system because the land it consists of has not been purchased by the United States. The Samoan village leaders have agreed to let the United States set aside the best parts of the islands to be preserved in the national park.
Samoa is a cluster of islands, mostly mountainous, located in a tropical climate. There are beautiful coral reefs and beaches throughout these islands and included as part of the park.
When visitors come, they are witnessing history in the making as the park is still being established today. Tourists can see how the Samoan people live, scuba dive along the coral reefs, sunbathe on the pristine beaches, and visit with some of the local wildlife.
Weir Farm National Historic Site Quarter – The Weir Farm National Historic Site Quarter honors the site that preserves where J. Alden Weir moved after growing up in New York. Once there, he changed his modest home into a retreat for his friends and artists. Many artists that lived there practiced expressionism, just like J. Alden Weir.
Visitors can partake in many activities at the Weir farm such as sketching, painting, and several other events throughout the year. Artists can try out for the Artist-In-Residence Program and spend a month living and working at the Weir Farm.
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Quarter – The Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Quarter honors the site located on the U.S. Virgin Islands. Salt River Bay is a compilation of tropical ecosystems, coral reefs, mangrove forests, and archeological sites.
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve was created in 1992 and is over 1,000 acres in size. Aside from the natural resources the site protects, it also is home the only location where members of the Columbus Expedition are known to have set foot on soil that is now part of a US territory.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Quarter – The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park Quarter honors a site in Vermont that is known for its beautiful landscapes. It is home to sugar maples and old hemlocks.
In 1992, the final owner, Laurence Rockefeller, donated the land to the National Park Service where they continue conservation efforts started by the three previous owners – George Perkins Marsh, Frederick Billings and Laurence and Mary Rockefeller.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park also participates in Artists in Residence. Visitors can view these works when they come as well as the Forest Center and other historical sites.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarter – The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Quarter honors the site which preserves the area that recalls the millions of acres of tall grass which once covered the plains of North America. Once settlers and developers moved in, much of the grass was plowed away and only 4% remains today.
Bison also make their home on the preserve as well as several other forms of wildlife. Tourists may catch a glimpse of these animals when the visit, or they may participate in some of the other activities offered.