Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Mint today announced that a limited edition of 200,000 Pennsylvania Commemorative Coin Covers featuring two Pennsylvania quarters from the first day of mintage – February 22, 1999 – is now available exclusively through its online catalog at www.usmint.gov. The Mint on April 22 began sales of the first official Commemorative Coin Cover featuring the Delaware quarter.
“We’ve heard from customers wanting to purchase multiple sets for children and grandchildren,” said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, “so we’ve removed all order limits for both the Pennsylvania and Delaware quarter covers.”
Priced at $19.95, this official Pennsylvania Commemorative Coin Cover includes quarters from both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints on a handsome display card with the 33–cent Flag–Over–City postage stamp postmarked “March 8, 1999, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania” – the day the Pennsylvania quarter dollars were first released to the Federal Reserve Bank and the public – certifying this limited edition and honoring the “Keystone State.”
The Pennsylvania Quarter reverse design features a depiction of “Commonwealth,” the statue atop the Pennsylvania capital dome, an outline of the state, the state motto and a keystone. Pennsylvania became known as the “Keystone State” because the state’s geographical location was seen as a “key” or critical stone in the colonies’ wall against attack.
The Delaware and Pennsylvania quarters are the first two coins of the 50 State Quarters Program which will honor each of the 50 states in the order they entered the union. Five State designs will be issued each year through 2008 at approximately 10–week intervals.