Harpers Ferry Quarter Ceremony, Coin Exchange and Public Forum

In less than a month, the U.S. Mint and the National Park Service will officially introduce the latest America the Beautiful Quarter. This one commemorates Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia.

This year’s third quarter ceremony takes place in Harpers Ferry on June 8, 2016. There’s a coin forum on the evening before the quarter launch and a coin exchange right after the ceremony. All three events are free and open to the public.

Harpers Ferry quarters will also enter circulation in June but it can take months, sometimes years, before they’ll appear in change, since Federal Reserve Banks distribute coins to financial institutions without regard to specific design. The launch ceremony offers everyone in attendance an early opportunity to get the third of five 2016-dated quarters, which is the 33rd of the 56 scheduled in the U.S. Mint program of America the Beautiful Quarters.

Quarter Launch Ceremony – Time and Location

Usually lasting about 30 to 40 minutes, official quarter launches are unique events for locals, coin collectors, and children. Speakers provide historical background about the park, local performers offer entertainment, and official dignitaries unveil the quarter and hand out free ones to school-aged children.

The event’s location details follow:

Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Time: 10:00 a.m. (ET)
Location:
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Lower Town, Hamilton Street along the Shenandoah River
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

The following map shows the location of Lower Town Harpers Ferry.

Coin Exchange

As mentioned earlier, the coin exchange begins immediately after the ceremony, at the same location. Jefferson Security Bank from Harpers Ferry will sponsor the event. Anyone can trade cash for up to $100 worth of the new quarters in $10 rolls.

Coin Forum Evening Prior to Quarter Ceremony

A coin forum gives people an opportunity to learn and ask questions about the United States Mint and its products. The forum typically lasts about an hour.

Here are the coin forum’s time and location details:

Date: Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Location:
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Lower Town, The Green
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Rolls and Bags of Quarters

The United States Mint will also sell Harpers Ferry quarters direct to the public. The Mint will offer them in 40-coin rolls, 2-roll sets, 3-roll sets and 100-coin bags, at prices that range from $18.95 to $34.95. The new quarters will be available online at catalog.usmint.gov beginning sometime in June. These product releases will be covered here on CoinNews.

2016 Quarters

Introduced in 2010 and scheduled to last until 2021, the U.S. Mint’s series of America the Beautiful Quarters presents five unique designs every year. The first 2016-dated release commemorated Shawnee National Forest in Illinois and the second honored Kentucky’s Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. The next two for 2016 celebrate Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota and Fort Moultrie (Fort Sumter National Monument) in South Carolina.