WASHINGTON — The United States Mint announced today that quarter–dollar coins honoring Florida, the second coin in the 50 State Quarters Program to be released in 2004, will go on sale beginning March 29, 2004, at noon (Eastern Time), and will be available for purchase during the 10–week release period. The Florida quarters are available in two–roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one Philadelphia and one Denver mint mark coin roll each, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins. The Florida quarters are also available as part of the United States Mint’s popular Subscription Program.
On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state to be admitted into the Union. The design incorporates a 16th century Spanish galleon, a space shuttle and the inscription “Gateway to Discovery.” A strip of land with sabal palm trees is also depicted.
Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center, has been the starting point for most of the modern era’s significant scientific space expeditions — from Man’s first moon landing to the Voyager probe currently exploring deep space outside our solar system. From 16th–century Spanish galleons to 21st–century space exploration, Florida has been the stage for humanity’s quest for knowledge and discovery.
Each coin roll in the two–roll set 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, “FL” designating the State of Florida, and “$10” representing its dollar value. Two–roll sets will sell for $32.00, bags of 100 coins for $35.50, and bags of 1,000 coins for $300. Each bag is marked with the mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). These two–roll sets and bags feature quarters used in regular transactions and are struck on our main production floors at the United States Mint at Philadelphia and Denver. There is no order limit on these products.
Customers can purchase the Florida quarter–dollars in two–roll sets and bags by using the United States Mint’s secure website, www.usmint.gov, or by calling 1–800–USA–MINT. As an added convenience, customers can participate in a subscription–ordering program in which specific products, such as two–roll sets and bags, are charged and shipped to the customer automatically as each new state quarter is released. For more information about this ordering method, please visit www.usmint.gov. Hearing– and speech–impaired customers may order by calling 1–888–321–MINT (6468). A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders. Quarter bags of 1,000 coins will have an additional charge of $7.95 per bag because of their weight and size.