The United States Mint today started selling several products containing their newest quarter dollar. Now available are single 40-coin rolls, two-roll sets, three-roll sets, and 100-coin bags of 2020 Tallgrass Prairie quarters.
Each features a reverse (tails side) design emblematic of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve located in the state of Kansas. Buying options include quarters struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. All are produced to circulation quality but have never actually been issued into circulation.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve was established in 1996 as a new model for the national park system. Instead of the federal government owning all of the land of the preserve, it was instead purchased by a private non-profit organization with management left to the National Park Service. Today, the preserve protects 10,894 acres of a tallgrass prairie ecosystem which once covered vast areas of the North American continent. The preserve is located in the Flint Hills of Kansas and includes the former Spring Hill/Z Bar Ranch.
Tallgrass Prairie Quarter Designs
The reverse of each new quarter dollar offers a design honoring Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. This image shows a skyward view of a Regal Fritillary butterfly against a backdrop of Big Bluestem and Indian grasses. Inscriptions read "TALLGRASS PRAIRIE," "KANSAS," "2020," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."
U.S. Mint Artistic Infusion Program Artist Emily Damstra created the reverse design. Sculpting was completed by Mint medallic artist Renata Gordon. The following U.S. Mint video promotes the quarter.
This coin marks the fifty-fifth of fifty-six issues as part of the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters® Program.
Like all other coins in the series, Tallgrass Prairie quarter obverses (heads side) bear a portrait of George Washington. The likeness of the first U.S. President has appeared on quarter dollars since 1932 and was designed by John Flanagan.
Obverse inscriptions show "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "LIBERTY," "IN GOD WE TRUST" and "QUARTER DOLLAR" along with the mintmarks of ‘P,’ ‘D,’ or ‘S’ for the Philadelphia, Denver or San Francisco Mints, respectively.
Quarter Roll and Bag Products
Product options and pricing for the new quarters include:
| Product | US Mint Production Facility | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 40-coin rolls | San Francisco | $19.75 |
| Two-roll sets | 40 Philadelphia & 40 Denver coins | $34.50 |
| Three-roll sets | 40 San Francisco, 40 Philadelphia, & 40 Denver | $49.25 |
| 100-coin bags | San Francisco | $36.75 |
| 100-coin bags | Philadelphia | $36.75 |
| 100-coin bags | Denver | $36.75 |
The Philadelphia and Denver Mints produce the circulating coinage of the nation. As such, it will eventually be possible to find coins from these facilities in pocket-change. The San Francisco Mint’s Tallgrass quarters, however, are only produced for numismatic purposes such as for inclusion in the new rolls and bags.
Ordering
Tallgrass Prairie quarters may be ordered directly from the U.S. Mint’s online store for America the Beautiful products.
These quarters are the last of five to be issued in the series this year with previous 2020-dated quarters honoring the National Park of American Samoa, Weir Farm National Historic Site of Connecticut, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park of Vermont.
This series will conclude next year with one coin honoring the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site of Alabama.
America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins
Along with the quarter dollars, the U.S. Mint also releases large America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Coins in both bullion and uncirculated finishes. These coins have a diameter of three inches and feature the same basic designs as the associated quarter dollars.
The bullion coins are sold through the Mint’s network of authorized purchasers for small premiums above spot price for the silver. The uncirculated coins are sold directly to the public by the U.S. Mint. As of this writing, the Tallgrass Prairie Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin is scheduled to be released on Dec. 7, 2020.
I like the 5 oz ATB P quarters, but I don’t have any of those. Instead, I purchased the ‘bullion’ versions (which actually have a better finish) for much lower cost (slight premium over spot) and if you notice those coins have almost as much resale as the P mint versions so I am pleased with my decision to go with bullion. Also note, that the mintages were very similar between P mint and bullion versions. The P mint has an ‘uncirculated barnished’ finish, while the bullion have a ‘mirrored’ finish – looks way better, 1/3 of the cost, similar… Read more »