YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United States Mint Director Ed Moy, joined by National Park Service officials, today introduced to the Nation the new quarter honoring Yosemite National Park in California.  The coin's reverse (tails side) design features the iconic El Capitan, the largest granite monolith in the world.  

"With this quarter, the United States Mint connects America to the wonder, peace and beauty of one of its most awe-inspiring natural treasures – Yosemite National Park," Moy told the crowd.

The Yosemite National Park quarter is the third released through the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters^™ Program, a multi-year initiative to honor 56 national parks and other sites in each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories.  Each year through 2020, the United States Mint will issue five new quarters in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site.  One final coin will be released in 2021.  

In addition to the image of El Capitan, the Yosemite National Park quarter has the inscriptions YOSEMITE, CALIFORNIA, 2010 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.  The obverse (heads side) design features the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, restored to bring out subtle details and the beauty of the original model.  The obverse inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR.  

"This new quarter is yet another way that Yosemite's legacy will live on by reminding those who take home the Yosemite National Park quarter how special America's national parks are," said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher.

At the conclusion of the launch ceremony, members of the public exchanged their paper currency for rolls of the new Yosemite National Park quarters, while children 18 and younger received a new quarter to commemorate the event.  The United States Mint began offering 100-coin bags and two-roll sets of the new quarters for sale on July 26.  Orders may be placed online at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog or at the toll-free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).  Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).  Additional information about other America the Beautiful Quarters Program product options, including subscriptions, is also available.    

Free lesson plans based on the America the Beautiful Quarters Program are available at the United States Mint's Web site.  Created and reviewed by teachers to meet national curricular standards, the plans draw on the new quarter reverse designs to inspire students to learn about the culture, geography and unique heritage and natural beauty of our national parks and sites.  For more information about America the Beautiful Quarters Program educational resources, visit

http://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/.

Yosemite National Park was established as a national site on October 1, 1890, and is one of the first wilderness parks in the United States.  The park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles there are also deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area and much more.  Yosemite is not only a great valley, but also a shrine to human foresight, strength of granite, power of glaciers, the persistence of life and the tranquility of the High Sierra.  

The United States Mint, created by Congress in 1792, is the Nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage.  Its primary mission is to produce an adequate volume of circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce.  The United States Mint also produces proof, uncirculated and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver, gold and platinum bullion coins.

Digital images of the Yosemite National Park quarter are available at:  http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=Photo#AmericaTheBeautiful.  

For more information about the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, visit:   www.americathebeautifulquarters.gov.  

Additional information about Yosemite National Park can be found at:  http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm.

SOURCE United States Mint

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