How can you make something better than the 50 State Quarter Program? Here's how !!
There were many reasons for the success of the State Quarter program in 1999. The top two - the design ( each state had their own theme ), and the limited production - only being made for less than 11 weeks.
Starting in 2010, it just got better. Taking a page from the success referenced above, the US Mint will be issuing a New Series .. "The America the Beautiful Quarters™." But this one will have a twist. There will be one quarter per state, just like the 50 State Program, but the design will be based on one of the National Parks located in each state. The order will be based on when they were introduced as a National Treasure.
But the kicker is distribution. Unlike the 50 State Quarter program where Congress forced the Mint to distribute the quarters to the local markets ( and even then many of us didn't see but a few of the releases ) this new program does NOT have to be released into the same flow of commerce. What does that mean? Well in 2009 the Mint released 6 special quarters for the six US Protectorate Territories .. adding them to the 50 State Quarter Program. Have any of you seen them in circulation? And if so, more than a couple? That's the "New" distribution system.
The New Hampshire White Mountain National Park quarter is the SIXTEENTH in the America the Beautiful Quarters®
The first of five 2013 Quarters in the America the Beautiful series honors White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. It is also the sixteenth coin in the complete collection. There are no National Parks in New Hampshire, so White Mountain National Forest was chosen to represent the state’s expansive wilderness. About 85 percent of New Hampshire is forested, and White Mountain is the state’s only National Forest. Most of the forest is in northern New Hampshire, with a small portion in adjoining Maine. The forest was created as a national site in 1918 to protect the region from extensive logging that was threatening to destroy the landscape. The original forest was only 7,000 acres, but it has grown over the decades to include the surrounding land and is now about 800,000 acres. The most famous sights in White Mountain National Forest include Mount Washington, which is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, and the region’s stunning fall foliage. The reforested mountains and hillsides also provide 1,200 miles of hiking trails as well as scenic drives along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway and White Mountain Trail. Wildlife such as black bears, moose, deer, and dozens of bird species can be found in the forest. The reverse of the White Mountain National Forest Quarter features Mount Chocorua, which is the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range. The peak is viewed through a grove of birch (the state tree). The design highlights the best-known features of the National Forest: mountains and hills, trees, lakes, and unspoiled wilderness.
