July 2003


WASHINGTON– The United States Mint announced today that state commemorative quarter-dollar coins honoring Missouri, the fourth coin in the 50 State Quarters® Program to be released in 2003, will go on sale beginning August 4, 2003, at 12:00 noon (E.D.T.), and will be available for purchase during the 10-week release period. The Missouri quarter-dollar coins are available in two-roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one Philadelphia and one Denver mint mark coin roll each, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins. The Missouri quarter-dollar coins are also available as part of the United States Mint’s popular Subscription Program.

Missouri became the 24th state to be admitted into the Union on August 10, 1821, as a part of the Missouri Compromise. The Missouri quarter-dollar coin depicts Lewis and Clark’s historic return to St. Louis down the Missouri River, with the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Gateway Arch) in the background. The quarter-dollar coin is inscribed, “Corps of Discovery 1804-2004.”

Each coin roll in the two-roll set is wrapped in a specially designed United States Mint paper coin wrap that prominently displays the 50 State Quarters program logo, a “P” or “D” representing the roll’s mint of origin, “MO” designating the State of Missouri, and “$10” representing its dollar value. Each bag is marked with the mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). Two-roll sets will sell for $32.00, bags of 100 coins for $35.50, and bags of 1,000 coins for $300. These two-roll sets and bags, featuring quarters used in regular transactions and struck on our main production floors at the Philadelphia and Denver Mint facilities, will be shipped directly from the United States Mint to customers. There is no order limit on these products.

Customers can purchase the Missouri quarter-dollar coins in two-roll sets and bags by using the United States Mint’s secure website, www.usmint.gov, or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468) 8:00 a.m. to midnight (Eastern Time), seven days a week. As an added convenience, customers can participate in the Subscription Program in which specific products, such as quarter two-roll sets and bags, are charged and shipped to the customer automatically as each new state quarter is released. For more information about this ordering method, please visit www.usmint.gov. Hearing- and speech-impaired customers may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468) 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. A shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders.

Washington – The United States Mint announced today that it will begin selling the 2003 United States Mint Silver Proof Set™ on July 28, 2003, at noon Eastern Time.

The 2003 United States Mint Silver Proof Set, available for $31.95, features versions of the five 2003-dated 50 State Quarters® coins as well as the Roosevelt dime and Kennedy half- dollar, all minted in lustrous 90 percent silver, historically known as “coin silver.” The set also includes proof versions of the other 2003-dated circulating coins – the Lincoln cent, the Jefferson 5-cent piece and the Golden Dollar – for a total of ten coins in all.

Each of these beautiful silver proof coins has a distinctive cameo appearance created by the contrast of a finely detailed frosted foreground against a shimmering mirror-like background. Produced at the San Francisco Mint facility, the coins bear the “S” mint mark. The sealed cases containing the coins are inserted into a specially printed sleeve and are accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Because we expect demand for the 2003 United States Mint Silver Proof Sets to be high, customers are encouraged to place orders early. The United States Mint reserves the right to limit quantities and may discontinue accepting orders at any time.

Customers can purchase the 2003 United States Mint Silver Proof Set online through the United States Mint’s secure website at www.usmint.gov, or by calling toll-free 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468) 8:00 a.m. to midnight (Eastern Time), seven days a week. Hearing- and speech-impaired customers may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468) 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.