After entering circulation on April 2, Chaco Culture National Historical Park quarters will get an official introduction on Thursday, April 26, 2012, in the form of a ceremonial launch. A coin forum the night prior to the event will also be conducted, the United States Mint announced Tuesday.
The second quarter released this year and the 12th since the America the Beautiful Quarters series debuted in 2010, the Chaco Culture Park Quarter will get introduced to nearly two hundred schoolchildren by officials from the United States Mint and the National Park Service (NPS).
Officials to be present the quarter include Barbara West, Superintendent, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Dick Peterson, Deputy Director, United States Mint, and Theresa Pasqual, Director, Acoma Historic Preservation Office. Among the talking points of the officials will be the history of the national park located in the state of New Mexico, as well as the quarter’s design which depicts a view to the west of two elevated kivas that are part of the Chetro Ketl Complex. The structures are positioned near the north wall of Chetro Ketl and the north wall of the canyon.
Following the ceremony, attendees may exchange their cash for $10 rolls of the coins at face value. That is cheaper than what buyers will pay when ordering directly from the United States Mint — two-roll sets of 80 quarters cost $32.95 while 100-coin bags are listed for $34.95.
Ceremony & Coin Forum Times & Locations
On Thursday, the Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarter ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. MT at the Park Visitor Center on 1808 RD 7950, Nageezi, NM. On Wednesday, the coin forum, hosted by United States Mint officials and covering a range of topics, will begin at 6:30 p.m. MT.
"The coin forum will provide an opportunity for the public to express their views about future coinage, and to learn about upcoming United States Mint coin programs and initiatives," the United States Mint explains in a news release.
The forum will be conducted at the Gateway Park Museum and Visitor Center, at 3041 East Main Street in Farmington, NM.
The public and media are invited to attend either event.