July 2008
CONGRESS CONSIDERS ANOTHER
COMMEMORATIVE QUARTER ACT
With the state quarter program drawing to a close this year and
quarters for the District of Columbia and each of five U.S. territories
on tap for 2009, Congress is now considering legislation calling for a
new series of circulating commemorative coins. A bill introduced to the
U.S. House of Representatives June 4 by Rep. Michael N. Castle (R-DE)
with seven cosponsors would authorize circulating quarter dollars
emblematic of a national park
or other national site in each State, the District of Columbia, the
five territories. H.R. 6184, entitled "America's Beautiful National
Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008," would require the U.S. Mint to
issue one quarter dollar honoring a national park or other national
site in each State, territory and the District of Columbia. Within 270
days of the bill's enactment, the Secretary of the Treasury would,
after consulting with each governor or chief executive and the
Secretary of the Interior, select the most appropriate sites in terms
of natural or historic significance. The 56 coins would be issued at
the rate of five per year beginning in 2010, in the order in which the
selections were first established as national sites.
Another section of the bill would require the Mint to concurrently
issue a .999 fine silver bullion version of each quarter with a
diameter of 3 inches and a weight of 5 ounces.
The bill also instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to make a
determination before the end of the ninth year on continuing the
program by issuing quarters honoring a second site in each State,
territory and the District of Columbia. At the conclusion of the
program (whether or not extended), the obverse of the quarter would
revert to the design used prior to the advent of the state quarters
program, and the reverse would portray an image of General Washington
crossing the Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton.
The bill has been passed in the House and on July 10 was received in
the Senate and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban
Affairs.
MINT OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS AT
FACE VALUE
The United States Mint has begun offering quantities of the most
recently issued Presidential dollar directly to businesses and the
public at face value. The Mint has stated that this program is intended "to encourage
robust national circulation" of $1 coins. As with other dollar coins issued during
the last several decades, use of Presidential dollars in everyday
commerce has been minimal.
Despite procedures for making Presidential Dollars readily available to
financial institutions, some customers report difficulty in obtaining
the coins, and relatively few people can claim to have ever received
one in change.
Beginning with the John Quincy Adams dollar, the Mint's "Circulating $1 Coin Direct
Ship Program" offers non-numismatic, circulation quality coins in
quantities of 10 or 20 rolls for $250 or $500, respectively. Each
roll contains 25 coins. The Mint pays for standard shipping and
handling to U.S. addresses. Any special shipping charges are the
responsibility of the customer. Under this program, the Mint does
not offer coins with a particular mintmark. Customers may be sent
rolls of coins with either a 'P' or 'D' mintmark or a combination of
the two. Because the mintmark appears on the edge of each Presidential
dollar, opening each roll is required to determine the mintmark.
The Mint continues to offer rolls and bags of Presidential Dollars with
a specific mintmark at a considerable premium over face value.
As of July 11, the Mint reports that John Quincy Adams dollars are no
longer available under the Direct Ship Program. Andrew Jackson
Presidential Dollars will presumably be available under the program on
or after the scheduled release date of August 14.
CURRENT SPECIAL
Through July 28, we're adding one each 2008-P and
2008-D Arizona quarters
in uncirculated condition free to orders of $45 or more placed with our
secure online shopping cart. More info about this offer is
available on our
Current
Special page.
-----
Telesphere Numismatics
Our newsletter is also distributed by e-mail on a strictly opt-in only
basis. To subscribe, simply complete the form below. Instructions
for unsubscribing are included with each issue.
Subscribe!
Receive our free newsletter by e-mail!
Messages sent about once a month feature announcements of new
purchases, special offers and
updates at our web site. Each issue also includes at least one article
containing news and/or commentary pertaining to the world of
numismatics.
To receive future issues of the Telesphere
Numismatics newsletter by e-mail, enter your name and e-mail address in
the form below and click
the "Subscribe Now" button.
Our newsletter is strictly opt-in only. No
one will be added without
requesting it. To protect your privacy, subscriber info will not be
available
to anyone else. Requests to unsubscribe are promptly honored.
