Washington — The United States Mint announced today that state quarters honoring Mississippi, the fifth and last coin in the 50 State Quarters Program to be struck for the year 2002, will go on sale beginning October 15, 2002, at 12:00 noon (E.D.T.), and will be available for purchase the entire 10–week release period. The Mississippi quarters are available in two–roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one Philadelphia and Denver Mintmark coin roll each, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins. The Mississippi quarters are also available as part of the United States Mint’s popular Subscription Program.
Mississippi joined the Union on December 10, 1817, becoming the 20th state. The Mississippi quarter’s reverse design showcases the beauty and elegance of the state flower, the magnolia, combining the blossoms and leaves of two magnolias with the inscription “The Magnolia State.” The magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol, is strongly associated with the South, where the flower became enormously popular after it was introduced from Asia. Mississippi officially adopted the magnolia as the state tree in 1938 and state flower in 1952.
Each coin roll is wrapped in a specially designed United States Mint paper coin wrap that prominently displays the 50 State Quarters Program logo, a “P” or “D” representing the roll’s mint of origin, “MS” designating the state of Mississippi, and “$10” representing its dollar value. Each bag is marked with the mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). Two–roll sets will sell for $32.00, bags of 100 coins for $35.50, and bags of 1,000 coins for $300.
These rolls and bags, featuring quarters used in regular transactions and struck on our main production floors at the Philadelphia and Denver Mint facilities, will be shipped directly to you from the United States Mint. There are no order limits on these products.
Customers can purchase the Mississippi bags and two roll sets by using the United States Mint’s secure website http://www.usmint.gov, or by calling 1–800–USA–MINT. As an added convenience, customers may order future 50 State Quarters bags and two roll sets online through the United States Mint’s Subscription Program. For more information about this convenient ordering method, please visit http://www.usmint.gov.
Hearing and speech–impaired customers may order by calling 1–888–321–MINT (6468). A shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders. Please allow approximately 2–3 weeks for delivery.