Chaco Culture Quarters Available in Bags and Rolls

A new design on a U.S. quarter launched Monday, April 2, 2012. The United States Mint began selling 2012 Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarters in bags and rolls at 12:00 noon Eastern Time, and the Federal Reserve Bank System released the new coins into public circulation.

Bags and rolls sold by the U.S. Mint consist of Chaco Culture quarters that have been produced for general circulation, but have not circulated, making them desirable to collectors.

These coins honor the national park in the state of New Mexico. It is the second new quarter-dollar released this year. Overall, it is the twelfth in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program which will portray 56 national parks or national sites through 2021.

The available two-roll set is $32.95, which is the same price as El Yunque Quarter rolls released earlier this year but $7 less than past issues. Each two-roll set contains 80 coins with one roll of 40 quarters produced in the Philadelphia Mint and the other roll of 40 struck in the Denver Mint. These are the same two facilities that are responsible for striking all American coinage for circulation.

Bags of Chaco Culture quarters are priced at $34.95, which is $15 less that quarter bags from past years. Buyers have the choice of purchasing bags with 100 coins from either Philadelphia or Denver. The bags are made of canvas with tags that give the name of the national site as well as "NM" for the state and "P" or "D" for the minting facility.

Quarter Ceremony

The United States Mint will ceremoniously release the quarter on Thursday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m. MDT at Chaco Culture National Historical Park’s new visitor center, according to the National Park Service website for the park. Additional details will be available as the event’s date approaches.

Quarter Designs

The reverse design of the new quarter, by Donna Weaver, features a view to the west of two elevated kivas that are part of the Chetro Ketl Complex. The ceremonial structures are positioned near the north wall of Chetro Ketl and the north wall of the canyon. Inscriptions are CHACO CULTURE, NEW MEXICO, 2012 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Each quarter has a common obverse which is the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. The United States Mint restored the image in 2010 for this coin series to enhance the details and beauty of the original model. Inscriptions on the obverse are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR.

U.S. Mint Products with Chaco Culture Quarters

These new quarters will be available in many collectible products from the United States Mint throughout the year. Those items include:

• 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set (issued)
• 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Proof Set (issued)
• 2012 Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarter Three-Coin Set (April 17)
• 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Uncirculated Coin Set (April 24)
• 2012 Proof Set (May 7)
• 2012 Uncirculated Mint Set (May 21)
• 2012 Silver Proof Set (June 4)
• 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters Circulating Coin Set (TBD)

Two more products with the same designs as the new quarters are the three inch, five ounce silver coins. The Chaco Culture America the Beautiful five ounce silver bullion and silver uncirculated coins are expected sometime this year.

Order Information

Quarter bags and rolls and related products may be purchased from the United States Mint website at http://www.usmint.gov/ or by calling the bureau’s toll free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

The earlier 2012 America the Beautiful Quarter honored El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Upcoming America the Beautiful Quarters for this year will feature Acadia National Park in Maine, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska.

For more information about the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, visit the National Park Service site for it at http://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm.