Welcome to the fall 2003 issue of Making Cents, the online newsletter that tells you what's new and striking at the United States Mint. Be sure to check back every 3 months for a new issue.
Come to Japan!
Have you seen Coins of the World? Our virtual trip to France has been available for a while now. But the second adventure in the series has just recently made its debut. The country is Japan, and this journey is just as much fun as the trip to France!
See Flip eating sushi, Bill wrestling a sumo, and a whole lot more. You may even pick up a few handy Japanese words along the way. As usual, the trip ends with a customs quiz, where you can earn virtual souvenir coins to help you remember your virtual tour.
Visit this island country and learn about Japanese culture, cuisine, and coins. Don't miss the boat! Er, plane! ...Anyway, begin your jolly Japanese junket in the Cartoons area.
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Quarter of the Quarter
In October, the new Arkansas quarter will hit the pockets of America. The quarter's design shows animals, plants, and minerals in their natural state...as befits "the natural state" of Arkansas, twenty-fifth to join the Union. For example, the diamond symbolizes the state's mineral resources, including a diamond mine where visitors can keep whatever they find. You can get more details on the design and the coin on the Mint's main site (usmint.gov) and the kids' site under Coin News.
- Would you like to print an outline of the design that you can color? Click on Goldie's "download, print, and color" icon if you have Acrobat and a printer.
- Would you like to color the coin online? Play "Cents of Color" on the Games page.
- How about an Arkansas quarter jigsaw puzzle? Try "PuzzleMint," another United States Mint H.I.P. Pocket Change game that includes this design.
And don't forget to come back for November's "Coin of the Month": the Missouri quarter!
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Medals for Wildlife
From summer through the fall of 2003, the United States Mint will release a special series of medals. The medals celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the National Wildlife Refuge System by then-president Theodore Roosevelt.
The figure of President Roosevelt graces the front of each of the medals, four in silver and one in bronze. Four different designs (a bald eagle, two salmons, an elk, and canvasback ducks) appear on the backs of the silver medals, while the bronze uses the eagle design. The eagle medals were released first, with the others following several weeks apart.
This series is not only a wonderful reminder of how important wildlife is to the world, but it also marks the very first time that the United States Mint has sold a series of medals made of silver!
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Pal's Place: Plinky
Which place on the site does each pal like best? We'll just let them tell you themselves. In this quarter's issue, we have a word from Plinky:
"Hi! My favorite place on the H.I.P. Pocket Change site is the Games area. That's because I LOVE games! I love to go there and play the Coin Memory Game, find the hidden words in Mark My Words, color the pictures in Cents of Color...they're all so much FUN!
"Of course, I especially love my Create-a-Card game, where I can buy pictures and make change and create a card that I can print and send to all my H.I.P. Pocket Change pals! And I love the Winter Coin Olympics...and Making Change and Puzzle Mint...Whee! I could play all day!
And have you seen my new game, "When Pigs Fly!"? You get to build and fly your own plane and see how far you can make it go, just like the Wright Brothers! I hope YOU will come and visit me in the Games area!"
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Coins of the World—Japan Crossword
What have you learned? Test your knowledge with our Japan crossword puzzle. Test your answers with the answer key.
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