Effigy Mounds Quarter Ceremony, Coin Exchange and Public Forum

In less than a week, the United States Mint and the National Park Service will formally introduce the quarter featuring Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa. This year’s first quarter ceremony takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 in a city near the site.

There is also a coin forum on the night before the ceremony and coin exchange after the ceremony. All three events are free and open to the public.

Effigy Mounds quarters enter circulation on Monday, Feb. 6, but it can take months, sometimes years, before they appear regularly in pocket change. That’s because the Federal Reserve System distributes coins to financial institutions without regard to their designs. The official ceremony offers an early opportunity to get this first of five 2017-dated quarters. The United States Mint offers another by selling them in rolls and bags.

Effigy Mounds Quarter Launch Ceremony – Time and Location

Formal quarter ceremonies are special functions aimed for locals, coin collectors, and children. The event usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes. A few speakers provide historical background about the park and local entertainers usually perform before official dignitaries unveil the new coin and give a free one to school-aged children.

Additionally, students in grades K-5 will receive the redesigned Effigy Mounds National Monument Junior Ranger badge, which incorporates the new quarter design.

The ceremony’s location details follow:

Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. (CST)
Location:
Allamakee Community School District High School Gym 
1059 3rd Avenue N.W.
Waukon, IA 52172

The following map shows the school’s location:

Coin Exchange

The coin exchange is at the same venue as the quarter ceremony, and begins immediately after it. Kerndt Brothers Saving Bank in Waukon will sponsor the event. Attendees can trade cash for $10 rolls of the new quarters. There is a one-roll ($10) minimum and a 10-roll ($100) maximum.

Coin Forum Evening Prior to Quarter Ceremony

A coin collector forum hosted by the United States Mint will take place on the evening prior to the ceremony. This forum gives people a chance to learn more about the U.S. Mint and to ask questions about its products. Coin forums tend to last about an hour.

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

Date: Monday, February 6, 2017
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. (CST)
Location:
Effigy Mounds National Monument Visitor Center 
151 Highway 76 
Harpers Ferry, IA 52146

The following map shows the Visitor Center’s location:

U.S. Mint-Branded Rolls and Bags of Quarters

Beginning at noon ET on Monday, Feb. 6, the U.S. Mint will offer Effigy Mounds quarters directly to the public in rolls and bags.

Product options include Mint-branded 40-coin rolls, 2-roll sets, 3-roll sets, and 100-coin bags, at prices ranging from $18.95 to $46.95 and from facilities in Denver, Philadelphia and San Francisco. They will be available to order online at catalog.usmint.gov. These product releases will also be covered here on CoinNews.

2017 Quarters

The U.S. Mint’s series of America the Beautiful Quarters® kicked off in 2010 and will last until 2021. Five unique designs appear every year, depicting a park or other national site within the United States or its territories.

The four upcoming quarters celebrate Frederick Douglass National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri, Ellis Island (Statue of Liberty National Monument) in New Jersey, and George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Indiana.

Earlier this year, on Jan. 5, the U.S. Mint released collector proof versions of all five 2017 quarters for $14.95. These coins feature frosted designs and mirror-like backgrounds. Proof editions in silver launch on Feb. 16 for $31.95. As always, stay tuned to CoinNews for information about these and other coin releases.