The United States Mint on Thursday afternoon officially announced that the 2010 US Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set will launch on May 27 at noon Eastern Time (ET) for a price of $32.95.
The set is the second of the year to feature the first five America the Beautiful Quarters™. The first was the clad 2010 proof version issued on May 13, 2010, for a price of $14.95. The debuting sales figures for these were released by the Mint on Wednesday. Collectors purchased 75,558 during the first three days. For reference, the latest 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Silver Proof Set sales figures stand at 279,885.
The new silver set includes one less quarter than the one from last year, but is priced $3 higher. However, London silver peaked at $13.76 an ounce during the March launch month for the 2009 set while this month’s silver top price will at least be $19.64 an ounce. The metal costs to produce the proofs is significantly higher this year. The 2010 set coins includes nearly an ounce of silver with 0.904 ounces.
As mentioned, the new set includes proof versions of first five coins from the new quarter-dollar series (See 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Information.) In its press statement, the Mint describes their production as:
"Using specially prepared, highly polished dies. Specially treated coin blanks are struck multiple times to ensure the finest detail in a frosted cameo image on a brilliant, mirror-like background."
Each is struck from 90 percent silver and at the Mint’s San Francisco facility. The coins feature the ‘S’ mint mark, and include the:
- 2010-S Hot Springs National Park Quarter (Arkansas)
- 2010-S Yellowstone National Park Quarter (Wyoming)
- 2010-S Yosemite National Park Quarter (California)
- 2010-S Grand Canyon National Park Quarter (Arizona)
- 2010-S Mount Hood National Forest Site Quarter (Oregon)
The quarter-dollars feature designs emblematic of their respective national park and forest.
When available, the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set can be purchased directly from the Mint web site (http://www.usmint.gov/), or via their toll free telephone number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). The sets are sealed in a protective lens, packaged, and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the Director of the United States Mint, Edmund Moy.
No limits are in place, but an order will include the standard $4.95 shipping and handling charge.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Program will continue through to 2021 with a total of 56 different reverse designs that depict one national park or site within every U.S. state and territory and the District of Columbia.