The Puerto Rico State Quarter – Forts and Flora From the Isla De Encanto
The U.S. Mint's State Quarter series has moved beyond the realm of actual states, to U.S. Territories. The Puerto Rico Quarter continues the tradition of high quality images which have characterized the series, and many collectors believe that this coin will prove to be as popular as other coins in the series.
The Puerto Rico Quarter features the familiar bust of George Washington on the obverse ("heads" or front) of the coin. This is the same image that has been used throughout the State Quarter series. The reverse ("tails" or back) of the coin (designed and sculpted by Joseph Menna) features the Mint's tribute to Puerto Rico. The image depicts a sentry box overlooking the sea in the fortress known as "El Morro" in San Juan. El Morro was San Juan's principal defense during the Spanish Colonial era and is now a U.S. National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Also pictured is the hibiscus, which is Puerto Rico's state flower. The design also features the motto "Isla de Encanto," which can be translated "Island of Enchantment," as well as the traditional legend "E Pluribus Unum."
Since the Mint is actually releasing six quarter designs this year rather than the five designs issued annually for the last decade, mintage figures are expected to be low relative to the number of coins struck during the first ten years of the series.. The Philadelphia Mint will produce 53,000,000 Puerto Rico Quarters, while the facility in Denver will strike 86,000,000.
The State Quarter series has been a very popular product for the Mint. Many numismatists state that the series has generated significant interest among new collectors, and it is probably safe to say that millions of albums and other methods of displaying the quarters have been sold by numismatic supply companies. Evidence of what may be a rise in the popularity of coin collecting may also be found in the sales figures for other coins issued during 2009. The Commemorative Lincoln Silver Dollar has proven popular. The Mint was authorized to strike a maximum of 500,000 of the coins. By mid-March sales figures had risen to about 85% of the total authorized. The first issue of the Bicentennial Lincoln Cents, "Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky" also proved very popular. Two months after the coins were first issued, many people were still insisting that they had never seen any of the coins in circulation. The Mint offered two-roll sets for sale for $8.95, a significant premium above the $1.00 face value of the coins. These sets sold out in just two weeks.
Besides the Puerto Rico quarter, the state quarters scheduled for release in 2009 include those featuring the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. 2009 is the only year in the State Quarter series which features six new designs being released. The State Quarter series began in 1999 and featured five designs issued per year in the order that the states either ratified the Constitution or were admitted to the Union. The State Quarter series concludes with the coins issued in 2009.
The Puerto Rico Quarter features the familiar bust of George Washington on the obverse ("heads" or front) of the coin. This is the same image that has been used throughout the State Quarter series. The reverse ("tails" or back) of the coin (designed and sculpted by Joseph Menna) features the Mint's tribute to Puerto Rico. The image depicts a sentry box overlooking the sea in the fortress known as "El Morro" in San Juan. El Morro was San Juan's principal defense during the Spanish Colonial era and is now a U.S. National Monument managed by the National Park Service. Also pictured is the hibiscus, which is Puerto Rico's state flower. The design also features the motto "Isla de Encanto," which can be translated "Island of Enchantment," as well as the traditional legend "E Pluribus Unum."
Since the Mint is actually releasing six quarter designs this year rather than the five designs issued annually for the last decade, mintage figures are expected to be low relative to the number of coins struck during the first ten years of the series.. The Philadelphia Mint will produce 53,000,000 Puerto Rico Quarters, while the facility in Denver will strike 86,000,000.
The State Quarter series has been a very popular product for the Mint. Many numismatists state that the series has generated significant interest among new collectors, and it is probably safe to say that millions of albums and other methods of displaying the quarters have been sold by numismatic supply companies. Evidence of what may be a rise in the popularity of coin collecting may also be found in the sales figures for other coins issued during 2009. The Commemorative Lincoln Silver Dollar has proven popular. The Mint was authorized to strike a maximum of 500,000 of the coins. By mid-March sales figures had risen to about 85% of the total authorized. The first issue of the Bicentennial Lincoln Cents, "Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky" also proved very popular. Two months after the coins were first issued, many people were still insisting that they had never seen any of the coins in circulation. The Mint offered two-roll sets for sale for $8.95, a significant premium above the $1.00 face value of the coins. These sets sold out in just two weeks.
Besides the Puerto Rico quarter, the state quarters scheduled for release in 2009 include those featuring the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. 2009 is the only year in the State Quarter series which features six new designs being released. The State Quarter series began in 1999 and featured five designs issued per year in the order that the states either ratified the Constitution or were admitted to the Union. The State Quarter series concludes with the coins issued in 2009.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
