Late Friday, May 25, the United States Mint offered additional information about 2012-S America the Beautiful quarters from San Francisco — new coins that will be produced in circulation quality but not delivered for use in commerce like other circulation quality coins that are minted in Denver or Philadelphia.
Over the years, California’s San Francisco Mint has become most known for the collector coins it produces in proof qualities for placement in annual clad proof sets and silver proof sets. It has been years since it produced a circulation quality coin, and these 2012-S America the Beautiful quarters will only be available for purchase from the U.S. Mint.
"The circulating quality coins are the first to be produced at the San Francisco facility in more than 30 years. The "S" mint mark quarters will not be released into circulation," noted the U.S. Mint in a coin news statement issued Friday.
The quarters’ collectible values are expected to exceed those of circulation quality Denver and Philadelphia produced quarter dollars since they will not be found in circulation and their mintages will be substantially lower. "S" El Yunque quarters will be the test.
"The first bags and rolls released will contain America the Beautiful Quarters coins honoring Puerto Rico’s El Yunque National Forest, the first quarter released in 2012," the Mint says.
Looking specifically at El Yunque quarter and its coin production figures, the U.S. Mint has struck 50.8 million with 25 million from Denver and 25.8 million from Philadelphia. (El Yunque quarters started to make their way into circulation for commerce on January 23, 2012.) In contrast, the U.S. Mint has indicated that it will initially produce 1.4 million of the San Francisco "S" Mint 2012 El Yunque Quarters. While collector demand for circulation quality quarters out of the SF Mint could drive this figure higher — the Mint intends to produce them to meet demand, the amount is expected to fall well short of the companion quarter dollars produced for actual use in circulation.
In terms of pricing, "S" Mint El Yunque Quarters in 100-coin bags will be priced at $34.95 and 40-coin rolls will be listed at a price of $18.95.
The price for 100-coin quarter bags from San Francisco is the same as those available from Denver and Philadelphia. But the U.S. Mint does not offer rolls of only Denver or Philadelphia minted quarters, instead it sells two-roll sets with 40-coins per roll from each facility. These two-roll sets are available for $32.95. This equates to $16.48 for each, or about $2.50 less than what the an "S" quarter roll will cost.
Sales of "S" Mint El Yunque Quarter products will begin on June 21, 2012 at noon Eastern Time. At that time, they may be purchased from the bureau’s website at http://catalog.usmint.gov/ or by calling 1-800-MINT (872-6468).
