The America the Beautiful Quarter Program will feature 56 different US National Sites. The obverse or “heads”, of all will be the classic George Washington profile designed by by John Flanagan in 1932. The reverse, or “tails” side of the coins will honor a U.S. national park or other significant national site.
The America the Beautiful Quarter Program started up in 2010 with the release of coins honoring the Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon.
The Gettysburg National Military Park Quarter
The first America the Beautiful Quarter released in 2011 is the Gettysburg National Military Park Quarter. It is number 6 in the series. This quarter features the 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument on the reverse.
The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, 51,000 Americans lost their lives there in 1863. In 1864 the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association was formed with the goal of preserving the battlefield. Over the years many different memorials and monuments were put into place and in 1895 the area was given to the U.S. government and named “Gettysburg National Military Park”.
The Glacier National Park Quarter
Glacier National Park is located in Montana and was called the “Backbone of the World,” by the Blackfeet. The 1,000,000 plus acres of meadows and forests in the Rocky Mountains was named as a national reserve in 1897.
The reverse side of the Glacier National Park Quarter shows a mountain goat climbing on the slopes with Mount Reynolds visible in the distant background.
The Olympic National Park Quarter
Olympic National Park is located in Washington state near Mount Olympus and includes over 70 miles of beaches along the Pacific Ocean. The nearly 1,000,000 acres of coastline, mountain peaks, lakes and forests was named as a national reserve in 1897.
The reverse of the Olympic National Park Quarter shows a Roosevelt Elk stepping into the Hoh River. In the background, beyond the trees and smaller mountains is Mount Olympus.
The Vicksburg National Military Park Quarter
The Vicksburg National Military Park is located in Vicksburg, Mississippi state near Mount Olympus and includes over 70 miles of beaches along the Pacific Ocean. The 1,728 acre park contains a national cemetery and over 1,350 monuments as well as the restored U.S.S. Cairo, a Union Ironclad Gunboat. The U.S.S. Cairo was the first ship ever to be sunk by a “modern” torpedo. The Vicksburg National Military Park was established in 1899.
The reverse of the Vicksburg National Military Park Quarter depicts the U.S.S Cairo on the Yazoo River.
The Chickasaw National Recreation Area Quarter
The Chickasaw National Recreation Area is located in Oklahoma. The 9,899 acre area was established, with the support of the the Chickasaw Nation, as an official national site in 1902. (as a note of interest the official US Mint site refers to them as an “Indian Tribe”)
The reverse of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area Quarter shows the Lincoln Bridge in the forest with ducks flying in a “V”.
By D. Slone, Copyright 2011 CoinCollectorGuide.com
Check out the America the Beautiful Quarters National Site Register to find out which national site in your state or U.S. territory was selected. http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/atb/?action=siteRegister