San Francisco produced 2012-S El Yunque quarters in circulating quality launched today in United States Mint bag and roll products. The U.S. Mint placed them on sale at noon ET with 100-coin bags listed for $34.95 each and rolls with 40 quarters priced at $18.95 each.
Differing mint marks are what make these newer quarters unique from those that have appeared in pocket change since their February release from Federal Reserve Banks.
San Francisco minted quarters bear the "S" mint mark, a designating U.S. Mint facility letter that in recent years has only appeared on quarters and other coins struck to proof quality and produced for coin collectors. El Yunque quarters launched earlier this year have either a "D" or "P" mint mark, denoting production at the Denver Mint or Philadelphia Mint.
A further differentiating factor between the varying circulating quality quarters is that the United States Mint is the only place to get the new ones. The bureau is producing 2012-S El Yunque quarters with a single intent of selling them to coin collectors. They will not get released into circulation. As a result, many more collectors will see San Francisco quarters as an appealing addition to their collections.
All El Yunque quarter-dollars feature a design that honors El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Specifically, the reverse design by Gary Whitley depicts a Coqui tree frog on a leaf beside a Puerto Rican parrot behind an epiphyte plant.
Additional circulating quality quarters launch later this year. These will include the other four 2012-dated America the Beautiful Quarters® that honor:
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico,
- Acadia National Park in Maine,
- Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and
- Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska
2012-S El Yunque quarters in circulating quality are available directly from the United States Mint website at http://www.usmint.gov. There are no ordering limits or mintage limits.
There have not been any ATB quarters in my pocket change in the midwest. For that matter, we haven’t seen any 2009’s yet. Only recently have some of the 2007 and 2008 quarters started appearing. I do get rolls from the bank once and a while, and zip, nada, they are already searched apparently.
Like Morgan dollars of old, I suspect there are millions of ATB’s in storage somewhere. The Fed doesn’t need them, as there is still a glut of circulating coinage from the 1900’s.
I wonder how many people will buy them as “investments” instead of as collectibles, and then dump them when they don’t make a killing? It’d be cool to find some S-mint coins in change once again.
About 8 years ago I got over a dozen XF 2002-04 Sacajawea dollars out of a change machine. All I can figure is that someone bought a pile from the Mint but never made the hoped-for quick profit. They at least cut their loss in half by putting the coins into circulation, and I got an unexpected find.
ATB coins are few and far apart van nuys calif area. Just got 1 Gettysburg and 1 Chicksaw. plenty of state quarters in change
This “addition” to the ATB program left me with several questions… Why now and not at the start of the ATB program? Are they going to be released at the same time as the P & Ds? What about the 2010 and 2011s? Got lucky at Vega recently and got two ATBs!
Joe, I believe this now makes 14 different ways to collect the ATB series. The mint will not stop until this series has been drained of every last way of making a buck (a quarter if you account for inflation).
@Joe
This was started this year to celebrate the 75 birthday of the SF mint
Today I was notified by the mint that my rolls and 100 coin bags 2012-S El Yunque quarters were shipped on the 6/22/2012 and FEDEX will deliver
on the 6/27.. will be late because of the DEBBI storm
I also purchased the quarters for collection purpose. But what I am intrested to find out is how many will go into production. This is very important for a collector, and if the coin is meant for collectors. That information should be known.
Been on the search for that answer. Does anyone know?
I have several questions that, so far, I haven’t been able to answer. See above post…
The U.S. Mint has indicated that it has struck 1.4 million of the 2012-S El Yunque quarters. If more are needed to meet demand, it will raise the mintage. 2012-P and 2012-D El Yunque quarter mintages stand at 25.8 million and 25.0 million…..
Below is the site where I got the INFO
http://www.coinnews.net/2012/06/27/d-p-and-s-mint-circulating-quality-quarter-sales-comparisons/
I do not know who that Joe is asking those questions. But it is not this Joe.
I just found a 2012 Puerto Rico s proof quarter in the change machine at laundry mat a few weeks ago. I am new at this and I was excited to learn about it.