Everglades National Park Quarter Ceremony Highlights

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On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, the National Park Service and United States Mint officially introduced Everglades National Park Quarters to a crowd of over 1,000 people.

United States Mint Chief Administrative Officer Beverly Ortega Babers
United States Mint Chief Administrative Officer Beverly Babers speaks at the Everglades National Park America the Beautiful Quarter launch

Thursday’s event took place near the national park in Florida which is depicted on the coin’s reverse.

"A vast mosaic of habitats that protects a thousand plant and bird species, Everglades National Park is the perfect choice to represent Florida in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program," said Beverly Ortega Babers, United States Mint Chief Administrative Officer.

Babers and other officials later handed out Everglades National Park quarters to about 700 schoolchildren who attended the ceremony.

Crowd at Everglades National Park Quarter Ceremony
The South Dade High School Band entertains the crowd before the Everglades National Park America the Beautiful Quarter launch in Homestead, Fla.
Children at Everglades National Park Quarter Ceremony
Children hold the brand new Everglades National Park quarters they received

Special guests at the ceremony included Everglades National Park Acting Superintendent Bob Krumenaker, Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter, Vice-Mayor Stephen R. Shelley, and Inside Homestead host Josh Padgett.

Following the event, attendees swapped cash for $10 rolls of the new coin. $21,000 in quarters were exchanged.

Box of Everglades National Park quarters
Everglades National Park quarters in a box at the coin exchange

Designed by Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by Joseph Menna, the coin depicts an anhinga with outstretched wings on a willow tree with a roseate spoonbill in the mid-ground.

Everglades National Park Quarter
Everglades National Park Quarter

Everglades quarters were released into circulation over a month ago, on Nov. 3, the same day that the United States Mint started selling rolls and bags of them to collectors.

The coin is the last of five issues in 2014 and the 25th overall from the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters® Program. The series, which features national parks and other national site designs, kicked off in 2010 and will last until at least 2021.

Issued earlier this year were Great Smoky Mountains National Park Quarters for Tennessee, Shenandoah National Park Quarters for Virginia, Arches National Park Quarters for Utah, and the Great Sand Dunes Quarters for Colorado.

2014 America the Beautiful Quarters Images
Images of the five 2014 America the Beautiful Quarters

America the Beautiful Quarters portray the same obverse portrait of President George Washington. The effigy was originally designed by John Flanagan and initially appeared on quarters starting in 1932.

Ceremony photos are by Sharon MckPike of the United States Mint.

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