On April 2, 2012, the United States Mint will join with the Federal Reserve Bank to release the Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarter. On that day, the newest issue from the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program will be released into circulation by the Federal Reserve with bags and rolls of the coins also available for ordering directly from the U.S. Mint.

The Chaco Culture Quarters are the second of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program to be issued in 2012 and follow the El Yunque National Forest Quarters which made their debut on January 23, 2012. All of the coins in the series (which debuted in 2010) honor a different site of national interest from around the United States and its territories with a design located on their reverse.

These newest releases honor Chaco Culture National Historical Park which is located in the state of New Mexico. The site was created as a national monument on March 11, 1907 with national historical park status attained on December 19, 1980. The park preserves one of the best concentrations of ancient pueblo dwellings in the United States.

To celebrate the Chaco site, the reverse of the new quarter depicts a design described by the U.S. Mint with:

"The reverse of the second quarter of 2012 illustrates a view to the west of two elevated kivas that are part of the Chetro Ketl Complex. The design also shows the north wall of Chetro Ketl and the north wall of the canyon. Inscriptions are CHACO CULTURE, NEW MEXICO, 2012 and E PLURIBUS UNUM. The reverse was designed by AIP Master Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill."

As with all of the America the Beautiful Quarters, the obverse contains a portrait of George Washington, as originally designed by John Flanagan. The portrait was created and initially appeared on the 1932 circulating quarter dollar and has been used in one form or another on quarters ever since.

Beginning at Noon (Eastern), on April 2nd, the U.S. Mint will offer 100-coin bags of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarters. These bags contain 100-circulation quality strikes from the buyer’s choice of the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia or the U.S. Mint’s facility in Denver. Each bag includes a tag with “Chaco Culture National Historical Park,” “NM” and “P” or “D.” The bags will be offered for $34.95, plus the Mint’s standard shipping and handling charge of $4.95 per order.

Two-roll sets of the Chaco Culture Quarters will also be sold by the Mint for $32.95. These sets contain one roll of 40 circulation-quality quarters struck at the Philadelphia facility and one roll of 40 circulation-quality quarters struck at the Denver facility. Special wrapping on the rolls are imprinted with “Chaco Culture National Historical Park,” “NM” for New Mexico, “$10,” and “P” or “D” for the mint of origin.

When released, the 100-coin bags or two-roll sets of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park Quarters may be ordered directly from the United States Mint website (http://www.usmint.gov/), or its toll free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Information on the other four 2012-dated America the Beautiful Quarters may be found on the 2012 national park quarters page.