AMP quarters for the CNMI are released

Designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill, the American Memorial Park quarter for Northern Mariana Islands depicts a young woman in traditional attire at the front of the Flag Circle and Court of Honor. The quarter is the second release this year and the forty-seventh in the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarter Program. (Contributed Photo)

Now available from the U.S. Mint are rolls and bags of quarters honoring the American Memorial Park in the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Products options include 100-coin bags, 40-coin rolls, 2-roll sets and 3-roll sets. All contain circulation quality quarters taken directly from the production floors of the U.S. Mint’s facilities in Philadelphia, Denver or San Francisco.

American Memorial Park is located on the island of Saipan of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The park was established on Aug. 18, 1978, and includes 133 acres honoring the American and Marianas people who gave their lives during the Marianas campaign of World War II. At the memorial, the American flag is displayed and centered around Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Coast Guard flags. The memorial includes 26 granite panels inscribed with the names of the 5,204 service members who died during the invasion of Saipan.

Quarter design

The reverse of each coin shows a young Chamorro woman in traditional dress at the front of the Flag Circle and Court of Honor. Her hand rests on the plaque with text honoring the sacrifice of those who died. Inscriptions include “AMERICAN MEMORIAL PARK,” “N. MARIANA ISLANDS,” “2019,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

This design was created by U.S. Mint artist Donna Weaver. Sculpting was completed by U.S. Mint sculptor-engraver Phebe Hemphill.

John Flanagan’s portrait of the first President of the United States George Washington appears on the obverse (heads side) of each coin. This design, with some modest revisions, has appeared on all quarters issued by the United States since 1932.

Obverse inscriptions read “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.” Every obverse also has a mintmark indicating where it was made with a “P” for Philadelphia, a “D” for Denver and an “S” for San Francisco.

An official release ceremony for the American Memorial Park quarter is scheduled for later this month on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at 10am. The ceremony will be at the American Memorial Park Amphitheater on Saipan.

The evening before, April 29, a coin forum will be held at the American Memorial Park Visitor Center Theatre from 5pm to 6:pm.

This coin is the second of five in 2019 and 47th overall from the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program. When completed, the series will have featured 56 unique designs commemorating national sites in each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories.

Along with these quarters, the U.S. Mint also strikes five-ounce silver coins containing the same basic designs. They are produced from 99.9 percent pure silver and have a diameter of 3 inches.

Five-ounce options include bullion coins intended for investors that are sold through the U.S. Mint’s network of authorized purchasers and uncirculated coins intended for collectors that are available directly from the U.S. Mint. The American Memorial Park Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin will debut Thursday, April 4, for $154.95. (www.coinnews.net)