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US Mint
Contact: General Park Information, 305-242-7700 Contact: Media Contact Mary Plumb, 305-242-7017 Contact: US Mint John Cochran, 202-354-7703 HOMESTEAD, Florida –Everglades National Park has received the prestigious honor of being selected as the one national site in the state of Florida to be portrayed on the reverse side of a newly- minted, United States quarter, and the public is invited to its ceremonial release, being held onThursday, December 4in Homestead. "It is an honor to have been selected by the State of Florida to be the one national site in the state to be included in the United States Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters Program. We want to extend our thanks and appreciation to the State of Florida, who provided the United States Mint with the recommendation that Everglades National Park be the one site to be honored within Florida," said Bob Krumenaker, Acting Park Superintendent. "The nationwide circulation of this newly-minted Everglades National Park Quarter will further enlighten a national audience of the unique experiences that visitors can enjoy at this truly amazing national park, and bring even more visitors to the state of Florida." The America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 requires the United States Mint to design, mint and issue quarter-dollar coins emblematic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. National sites in each state are nominated by the Governor, and chosen sites are deemed the most appropriate in terms of natural and historic significance. The coin's design was reviewed by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Governor Rick Scott, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee. Taking all of the feedback into consideration, the Secretary of the Treasury designee, Deputy Secretary Wolin made the selection of the final design. The design was approved on May 20, 2013. Governor Scott said, "Everglades National Park is a true national treasure and one of the most beautiful and special places in Florida. That is why my administration created an $880 million plan to protect the quality of water flowing into Everglades National Park and last year invested a record $250 million into protecting the Everglades and neighboring estuaries. I am excited that the Everglades National Park will be featured on a quarter to help share this wonderful place with the entire country and my administration will continue to expedite the restoration and protection of this national treasure." Under the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, the United States Mint launches five new quarters each year in the order in which each honored national park or other national site was first established, with one final coin in 2021. The Everglades National Park Quarter Launch onDecember 4will also commemorate the anniversary of December 6, 1947, when Congress set aside 1.5 million acres of land to be protected as Everglades National Park. The newly-minted Everglades National Park Quarter is being released in Florida for the first time onThursday, December 4, at10:00 a.m. The ceremony is being sponsored by the U.S. Mint and Everglades National Park, and hosted by the park's gateway community, the City of Homestead. Elected officials and community leaders have been invited to join 600 students from the Miami-Dade County School District (Homestead area) and the general public in the historic event. The event is taking place at the Harris Field Park Pavilion, located at the intersection of U.S. 1 and SW 312th Street/Campbell Drive in Homestead, Florida. The Community Bank of Florida will also conduct a coin exchange immediately following the festivities, where the public will be able to purchase the quarters for the first time in the state of Florida (one-roll ($10) minimum, 10-roll ($100) maximum). The South Dade Senior High School Band will entertain the crowd, and Josh Padgett, Media Producer and Inside Homestead Host, will serve as the event's Master of Ceremony. The Presentation of Colors will be done by the Homestead Air Reserve Base 482nd Fighter Wing Honor Guard. The crowd will join in singing the National Anthem, led by the Homestead Senior High School Chorus, and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by City of Homestead Vice-Mayor Stephen R. Shelley. City of Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter will welcome the crowd to the City of Homestead. Following brief remarks by Acting Everglades National Park Superintendent Bob Krumenaker, and the U.S. Mint's Chief Administrative Officer, Beverly Ortega Babers, the Mint will present first-day of production coins to the park, and the two will conduct a ceremony to officially launch the new quarter. Over 600 local school children will be in attendance, and the winners of the contest to design a coin will be announced and recognized. Ten lucky schools from the Miami-Dade County School District near Homestead were invited to participate in the event. Each school learned about the Everglades and came up with their own designs for the new coin. The top 25 individual student designs were incorporated into a quilt, which will be displayed by each school at the event. The Community Bank of Florida will conduct a coin exchange immediately following the ceremony at10:30 a.m.for those interested in purchasing the new Everglades National Park Quarter. There is a 1 roll minimum ($10.00) and a 10 roll maximum ($100.00) for exchange at the event (cash only, no checks accepted). Every child under the age of 18 in attendance will receive a complimentary quarter as a keepsake. The United States Mint will also host a Coin Forum the evening before (December 3, 2014–6:30 –7:30 p.m.) at the Everglades National Park Visitor Center (auditorium), located at 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, Florida 33034. The U.S. Mint will briefly describe their products and programs to coin enthusiasts, followed by a question and answer period about the United States Mint and its programs. Everglades National Park looks forward to celebrating this event with invited guests, the local community and visitors. For more information on the event, contact Mary Plumb,e-mail us. WHAT:The newly-minted Everglades National Park Quarter is being released in an historical ceremony, and the quarters will be available for exchange at a Coin Exchange immediately following. A Coin Forum is being held by the U.S. Mint the evening before for coin collectors. WHEN: ·COIN LAUNCH: Thursday, December 4, 10:00 a.m.to 10:30 a.m. ·COIN EXCHANGE: Thursday, December 4,10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ·COIN FORUM:Wednesday, December 3, 6:30 –7:30 p.m. WHERE: ·COIN LAUNCH and COIN EXCHANGE: the Harris Field Park Pavilion, located ator1034 NE 8th St., Homestead, Florida (the intersection of U.S. 1 and SW 312th Street/Campbell Drive in Homestead, Florida). ·COIN FORUM: Everglades National Park Visitor Center (auditorium), located at 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, Florida 33034. To learn more about the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, visit,www.usmint.gov. Here’s the link to the US Mint’s b-roll video footage of coin design and production:http://youtu.be/fvdooZ0zu70
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Last updated: April 14, 2015