Coin of the Month: America the Beautiful Series

At Kids Corner, we like to share popular coins that are both within reach of and valuable to young coin collectors like you. What’s even more exciting than one coin is a whole series of coins that, with work, any young collector can achieve.

One of the most beautiful and interesting of these is the America the Beautiful quarter series. Read on to learn if you should start collecting these amazing coins:

About this Silver Coin Series

The America the Beautiful silver coins are a U.S. quarter series that began in 2001.  Each year, the U.S. mint releases five different quarter designs within the series, with each design representing an important national place that is part of the National Parks or Forest system. The series is expected to run through 2021 and contain at least 56 different coin designs.

Collecting this series offers young numismatists (coin collectors) a great way to learn all about the important landmarks and geographical wonders of the United States, and it can be a fun challenge to try to collect earlier coins within the series.

How to Find These Collectible Quarters

You can find these quarters in circulation, or you can purchase them as uncirculated coins or even as proof coins. There’s also a 5oz silver coin option that costs more, but one or two of these coins from your favorite parks would be a great gift request if you come to really like the series.

Coin Design

Obverse: The front of the coin looks like a standard quarter. It features the classic portrait of George Washington with the inscriptions “In God We Trust” “Liberty ” “Quarter Dollar” and “United States of America,” as well as the mintmark.

Reverse: Now in its sixth year, the American the Beautiful series contains 30 different reverse designs. The five for 2015 are:

  1. The Blue Ridge Parkway: Depicts the scenic mountain road that runs through 469 miles of North Carolina and Virginia.
  1. The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Portrays a scene of a great blue heron and an egret enjoying this protected tidal salt marsh in Delaware.
  1. The Saratoga National Historical Park: Shows a scene from a game-changing defeat of the British in New York during the Revolutionary War.
  1. The Homestead National Monument of America: A tribute to the homesteaders of the 1960s, the Homestead Monument quarter depicts a log cabin with a water pump and wheat grains, depicting the three necessary components of homesteading: food, water and shelter.
  1. Kisatchie National Forest: This quarter show a wild turkey taking flight with blue stem grass and long leaf pine in the background – all native elements of this national forest in Louisiana.

The America the Beautiful series has so many beautiful and fascinating quarters to collect that it’s sure to keep you busy for a good while.  And while you collect, you can learn more about the history and wonders of this country than even your parents know!

Keep learning about coin collecting, including the best way to care for your collection.