WASHINGTON — The United States Mint (Mint) today announced the five new reverse (tails side) designs that will appear on the 2016 coins in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program.
The 2016 coins honor Shawnee National Forest (Ill.), Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (Ky.), Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (W.Va.), Theodore Roosevelt National Park (N.D.), and Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Monument (S.C.).
Shawnee National Forest
The design depicts a close view of Camel Rock with natural vegetation in the foreground and a red–tailed hawk soaring in the sky overhead. Inscriptions are “SHAWNEE,” “ILLINOIS,” “2016,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) artist Justin Kunz and will be engraved by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Jim Licaretz.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
The design features a frontiersman gazing across the mountains to the West. Many pioneers used Cumberland Gap on their journey into the western frontiers of Kentucky and Tennessee. Inscriptions are “CUMBERLAND GAP,” “KENTUCKY ” “2016,” “E Pluribus Unum,” and “FIRST DOORWAY TO THE WEST.” The reverse was designed by AIP artist Barbara Fox and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Joseph Menna.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
The design features John Brown Fort, the site of John Brown’s last stand during his raid on the Harper’s Ferry Armory. Inscriptions are “HARPERS FERRY,” “WEST VIRGINIA,” “2016,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The reverse was designed by AIP artist Thomas Hipschen and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Phebe Hemphill.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The design depicts a young Theodore Roosevelt on horseback surveying the terrain near the Little Missouri River. Inscriptions are “THEODORE ROOSEVELT,” “NORTH DAKOTA,” “2016” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The reverse was designed by AIP artist Joel Iskowitz and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Phebe Hemphill.Fort Moultrie at Fort Sumter National Monument
The design depicts Sergeant William Jasper returning the regimental flag to the ramparts while under attack from a British ship. Inscriptions are “FORT MOULTRIE,” “SOUTH CAROLINA,” “2016,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The reverse was designed by AIP artist Richard Scott and will be sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Joseph Menna.
The obverse (heads side) of the coins will continue to feature the familiar 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. Required obverse inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”
The United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program is authorized by the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 (Act) (Public Law 110–456). The Act directs the bureau to design, mint, and issue quarter–dollar coins emblematic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia, and the five U.S. territories. In accordance with the Act, the Mint is issuing the new quarters at the rate of five per year until 2020 in the order in which each honored site was first established. The final coin will be released in 2021.
About the United States Mint
The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. The United States Mint’s numismatic programs are self–sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.