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No Order Limits on Limited Editions of 200,000 Delaware and Pennsylvania Commemorative Covers

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Mint today announced that a limited edition of 200,000 Pennsylvania Commemorative Coin Covers featuring two Pennsylvania quarters from the first day of mintage - February 22, 1999 - is now available exclusively through its online catalog at www.usmint.gov. The Mint on April 22 began sales of the first official Commemorative Coin Cover featuring the Delaware quarter.

“We’ve heard from customers wanting to purchase multiple sets for children and grandchildren, said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, “so we’ve removed all order limits for both the Pennsylvania and Delaware quarter covers.”

Priced at $19.95, this official Pennsylvania Commemorative Coin Cover includes quarters from both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints on a handsome display card with the 33-cent Flag-Over-City postage stamp postmarked “March 8, 1999, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania” - the day the Pennsylvania quarter dollars were first released to the Federal Reserve Bank and the public - certifying this limited edition and honoring the “Keystone State.”

The Pennsylvania Quarter reverse design features a depiction of “Commonwealth,” the statue atop the Pennsylvania capital dome, an outline of the state, the state motto and a keystone. Pennsylvania became known as the “Keystone State” because the state’s geographical location was seen as a “key” or critical stone in the colonies’ wall against attack.

The Delaware and Pennsylvania quarters are the first two coins of the 50 State Quarters Program which will honor each of the 50 states in the order they entered the union. Five State designs will be issued each year through 2008 at approximately 10-week intervals.

9-Coin Set for $19.95, or 5-Coin State Quarters Set for $13.95, Plus $3.95 Shipping Per Order

Orders Limited to Two Sets Per Household

Mail Order Only Until June 15

Web, Fax & Telephone Orders After June 15

Washington, D.C. - Mint Director Philip N. Diehl today announced that 1999 Proof Sets including the first five 50 State Quarters are now available from the U.S. Mint.

“Interest from collectors and the general public has been so strong that we’re limiting orders to two sets per household in order to satisfy as many customers as possible,” said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl. “We estimate total production for the 9-Coin Proof Set will reach approximately 2 million sets this year, compared with last year’s sales of nearly 2.1 million proof sets - with estimated production for the 5-Coin State Quarters Proof Set approximately one million sets. However, we are not limiting the total number of sets we will sell.”

The 9-Coin 1999 Proof Set is available at $19.95, and the 5-Coin State Quarters Proof Set at $13.95, plus a shipping fee of $3.95 per order. All sets will be shipped by priority mail in customized security containers. Order forms may be obtained from the Mint’s Online Catalog at www.USMINT.gov, and should be mailed to the U.S. Mint at P.O. Box 382604, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-8604.

After June 15, the Mint will accept fax orders at (301) 344-4150 and telephone orders at 1-800-USA-MINT (1-800-872-6468). The Mint also will accept secure Internet orders at www.USMINT.gov after June 15. Internet orders are exempt from shipping fees.

The 9-Coin Proof Set will contain a Lincoln cent, Jefferson nickel, Roosevelt dime, and Kennedy half dollar in one sealed presentation case, and the first five 50 State Quarters honoring Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut packaged in a separate case. The 5-Coin State Quarters Proof Set may be purchased separately.

The Mint’s annual proof set is a collection of each coin made for circulation minted using highly polished dies. Produced at the San Francisco Mint, each coin bears the S mint mark and is struck at least twice to ensure fine detail in a frosted cameo image on a mirrored background. The sealed cases containing the coins are inserted into a specially printed sleeve and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. In addition, to protect these historic collectibles, the Mint this year is offering two custom-made, foil-embossed collector boxes — one sized to fit the 9-coin sets and another to fit the 5-coin sets.

Mint-Sewn Bags of 100 for $29.95 and Bags of 1000 for $289.95

Order on the Website@www.USMINT.gov

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Mint today announced that the new Delaware Quarter under the 50 State Quarters Program is now available in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins.

“We are making our best effort to respond to extraordinary public demand for the new state quarters,” said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl. “Since the beginning of the program, we’ve received a steady stream of calls and letters from citizens who want to collect the quarters in larger numbers than are available to them locally.

“I want to encourage customers to place their orders quickly, since the production run of Delaware quarters has been completed and quantities are limited.”

These Mint-sewn bags feature coins struck on the main production floors in Philadelphia and Denver, and each bag is marked with the Mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). The same coins that are shipped to the Federal Reserve for distribution in commerce will be shipped directly to customers in 100-coin bags for $29.95 and in 1,000-coin bags for $289.95.

The Delaware design is the first of the new quarters available in bags; other quarters in the series may be offered for sale in bags in the near future.

Customers may order the Delaware Quarters in bags directly through the Mint’s online catalogue at www.USMINT.gov where order forms may be downloaded for customers who prefer to mail or fax their order. The order form from the website may be mailed with the customer’s credit card number, check or money order to: Customer Care Center, United States Mint, 10003 Derekwood Lane, Lanham, MD 20706.

George Washington Featured on Heads and Tails of New Jersey Quarter Design

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Mint today announced the launch of the third design in the 50 State Quarters series. The third quarter design of the series honors New Jersey, the third State to ratify the Constitution. The launch of the New Jersey quarters follows release of the Delaware and Pennsylvania quarters which were shipped to Federal Reserve Banks for distribution to commercial banks earlier this year, with quarters honoring Georgia and Connecticut to be released in Summer and Fall of 1999.

“The 50 State Quarters program was launched in January 1999 with much success, and we anticipate growing enthusiasm with the introduction of five new quarters each year for the next ten years,” said U.S Mint Director Philip N. Diehl. “Each new quarter design is produced for only ten weeks, with the launch of the New Jersey quarters signaling the end of production for Pennsylvania quarters. As a result, Americans are checking their pocket change closely to make sure they don’t miss out on collecting each and every one of the designs.”

The New Jersey quarter features George Washington on both the reverse (tails) and obverse (heads) sides of the quarter. The tails design depicts George Washington accompanied by members of the Colonial Army crossing the Delaware River on their way to victories against the British at the battles of Trenton and Princeton. The famed portrait of President George Washington continues to grace the obverse; however, inscriptions have been moved to accommodate the state designs on the reverse. The coin is expected to begin appearing in circulation this summer.

Anticipation for the New Jersey quarter is apparent not only among coin collectors, but also among children of all ages who are learning the value of collecting, state history, and geography all at the same time,” said U.S. Treasurer Mary Ellen Withrow.

Legislation signed by the President in late 1997 authorized the Mint to honor the 50 states in the order they entered the Union or ratified the Constitution by producing five quarters each year from 1999 through 2008 with reverse designs celebrating the heritage of each state. The design process for each quarter is determined within each state by the Governor before design concepts are sent to the Mint, and then returned to the states for final selection. Approval of the final design rests with the Treasury Secretary. The well-known “Eagle” reverse quarter is scheduled to resume in 2009.

The New Jersey quarter design was selected by a coin commission created by Governor Christine Todd Whitman. The selection process was enhanced by the participation of state residents who offered individual ideas and renderings to include in the design.

The 50 State Quarters are manufactured at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, which produce all legal tender U.S. circulating coins, before being shipped to the Federal Reserve for distribution through the banking system. The Federal Reserve orders new quarters to ensure an adequate supply to meet the needs of commerce as commercial banks demand. The Mint projects production of 650 to 750 million quarters of each state design.