WASHINGTON — The United States Mint announced today that commemorative quarter–dollar coins honoring Texas, the third coin in the 50 State Quarters Program to be released in 2004, will go on sale beginning June 1, 2004, at 12:00 noon (ET), and will be available for purchase during the 10–week release period. The Texas quarter–dollars are available in two–roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one roll each from the United States Mint facilities at Philadelphia and Denver, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins. The quarter two–roll sets and bags are also available as part of the United States Mint’s popular Subscription Program.
On December 29, 1845, Texas became the 28th state to be admitted into the Union. The quarter’s reverse design incorporates an outline of the State with a star superimposed on the outline and the inscription, “The Lone Star State.” The lariat encircling the design is symbolic of the frontier spirit and the cattle and cowboy history of Texas.
Texas comes from the Indian word “tejas,” meaning friends or allies, and, appropriately, Texas’s motto is “Friendship.” Probably the two most recognized symbols of Texas are its unique shape and the lone star that is represented on the State flag. The simple design of a lone star and three bold stripes of red, white and blue represent bravery, purity and loyalty, respectively. Texas is the only state to have had six different flags fly over its land — Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America and the United States of America.
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, “TX” designating the State of Texas, 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 $300.00. Each bag is marked with the mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25.00 or $250.00). 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 facilities at Philadelphia and Denver. There is no order limit on these products.
Customers can purchase the Texas 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 (872–6468). 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.