State-Quarter.com

Washington, D.C., February 9, 2000 — The United States Mint today announced that a limited edition of 75,000 Massachusetts Commemorative Coin Covers featuring two Massachusetts quarters from the first day of mintage — December 20, 1999 — will be available through its online catalog at www.USMINT.gov. On February 14, the Mint will begin sales of the first official Commemorative Coin Cover featuring the Massachusetts quarter. The Massachusetts quarters are the first to be issued in the 21st century.

“The United States Mint is excited to take the 50 State Quarters into the 21st century with the Massachusetts quarter, which pays tribute to a crucial force in the American victory in the war of independence,” said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, “and we anticipate that the American people will show a genuine interest in the history of their country by collecting these Commemorative Coin Covers.”

Priced at $19.95, this official Massachusetts 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. The postmark of “January 3, 2000, Boston, Massachusetts” marks the day the Massachusetts quarters were first released to the Federal Reserve and the public – certifying this limited edition and honoring the “Bay State.”

Customers may order the Massachusetts Commemorative Coin Cover directly online via the U.S. Mint secure web server at www.USMINT.gov and pay no additional shipping and handling charges. Customers who prefer to fax their orders may download an order form at the website and fax it to (301) 344-4150. Customers also may order by telephone by calling 1-800-USA-MINT. (Telephone and fax orders incur a shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order).

The reverse design of the Massachusetts quarter features a depiction of a Revolutionary War Minuteman over an outline of the state, with a star marking the state capital of Boston, and the words “The Bay State.” The design of the Massachusetts quarter is based on concept submitted by two school children (Xander Kotsatos of Arlington and Kathleen Raughtingan of Leominster). Massachusetts has been the only state so far to have held a contest for school students to design the state’s commemorative quarter.

The Massachusetts quarters are the sixth coins of the 50 State Quarters Program that 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.

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Mint today announced the sellout of the 10 million Massachusetts Quarters available in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins, which went on sale January 11.

Final totals indicate sales of 38,950 P Mint mark and 38,200 D Mint mark 100-coin bags, and 1,125 P Mint mark and 1,160 D Mint mark 1,000-coin bags.

“The sellout of the 10 million Massachusetts quarters confirms how the 50 State Quarters Program has transformed not only the hobby of coin collecting but also the way the Mint is doing business,” said Mint Director Philip N. Diehl.

“Our total sales of more than $26.5 million on our Web site during the fourth quarter of 1999 were driven in large part by sales of the bags of Georgia and Connecticut State quarters. And it’s only through the development of our Web site that the Mint has been able to sell and ship the high volume of coin bags efficiently and cost effectively.”

Online sales of the Connecticut quarter began on October 18, with 7 million Connecticut available, up from 1.4 million Georgia quarters only 10 weeks earlier. All 7 million Connecticut quarters sold in four-and half-hours.

“We were very focused on making enough Massachusetts quarters available so that if potential customers didn’t get to the Web site right away, they would still have a chance to purchase the coins,” said Diehl.

Online sales of bags of the next coin in the 50 State Quarters Program, honoring Maryland, begin in late March.

Customers may currently order the Golden Dollar in bags and in rolls via the U.S. Mint secure web server at www.USMINT.gov. There are no limits placed on the orders, but depending on order volumes, delivery may be delayed as much as six to eight weeks. Customers who prefer to fax their orders may download an order form from the web site and fax it to (301) 344-4150, and customers also may order by telephone by calling 1-800-USA-MINT. (Telephone and fax orders incur an additional shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order.) However, golden dollar coins are expected to continue to sell quickly so customers are encouraged to order online at www.USMINT.gov.

10 Million Massachusetts Quarters on Sale

Free Shipping & Handling for Orders on the U.S. Mint Website

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

“We expect demand for the new quarter honoring Massachusetts to be as strong as it was for the Connecticut quarter last October when we sold 7 million quarters in less than five hours,” said U.S. Mint Director Philip N. Diehl. “Therefore, were increasing the number of Massachusetts quarters to 10 million, but we expect these will sell out quickly as well.”

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 $35.50 and in 1,000-coin bags for $300.00. 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).

Customers may order the Massachusetts quarters in bags directly online via the U.S. Mint secure web server at www.USMINT.gov and pay no additional shipping and handling charges.

Customers who prefer to fax their orders may download an order form at the website and fax it to (301) 344-4150, and customers also may order by telephone by calling 1-800-USA-MINT. (Telephone and fax orders incur a shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order.) However, Massachusetts quarters are expected to sell out quickly so customers are encouraged to order directly online at www.USMINT.gov.

Massachusetts State Quarter Design Features Revolutionary War Minuteman

BOSTON – Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci and Lt. Governor Jane Swift were joined today by U.S. Mint Director Philip N. Diehl as they “virtually struck” a Massachusetts state quarter at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, known as the “cradle of liberty” — miles from the Philadelphia Mint where actual production of the quarter honoring the Bay State is already underway.

The first Massachusetts quarters were shipped to the Federal Reserve on January 3 and should begin appearing in pocket change over the winter and spring of this year. More than one billion Massachusetts quarters will be produced to keep pace with public demand for the 50 State Quarters.

The winning Minuteman design concept for the Massachusetts quarter was submitted by Xander Kotsatos, a seventh grader at Belmont Day School, and Kathleen Raughtigan, a sixth grader at St. Bernard’s Elementary School. Also present were the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, and a 20-piece Minuteman Fife and Drum Corp.

The U.S. Mint is excited to take the 50 State Quarters into the 21st century with the Massachusetts quarter, which pays tribute to a crucial force in the American victory in the war of Independence,” says Diehl. “The young students who submitted The Minuteman design for the Massachusetts quarter show the pride and interest in the history of their country, which is truly the heart of this program.”

The reverse, or “tails,” of the Massachusetts state quarter, executed by U.S. Mint Sculptor/Engraver Thomas D. Rogers, Sr. features The Minuteman in front of the state outline, a star marking the state capital of Boston, and the words “The Bay State.” The famous statue of The Minuteman stands at The Minuteman National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts is rich with American history and this new quarter will remind citizens of our state and across the country of Massachusetts’ place in the American Revolution and our nation’s long tradition of protecting freedom and liberty,” said Governor Paul Cellucci. “The Massachusetts quarter is a celebration not only of our state’s history, but also of the birth of our nation.”

History tells us that the Minutemen were signaled of the British troops plan to travel by water on April 18, 1775, when two lanterns were placed in the steeple of the Old North Church in Boston. Captain Parker, the commander of the Minutemen, ordered his troops to, “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon. But, if they need to have a war, let it begin here.”

When the British troops reached Lexington, shooting broke out against the 50 Minutemen on the common, an open square in the center of the town. The British went on toward Concord, where they again met the Minutemen at the Old North Bridge over the Concord River and fired upon them. The Americans fired back, and the war had begun.

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.

Governor Cellucci chose to launch a contest in February 1998 among all Massachusetts elementary school students, asking them to submit their design ideas for the new commemorative coin and providing them with a unique and fun way to participate in this historic event. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation to hold a contest for elementary school students to design the special quarter and the response was overwhelming. More than 100 entries were submitted to the governor’s office by public, private and parochial schools from across the state. Cellucci created a 10-member advisory panel to narrow down the field of entries to five. Governor Cellucci and Lt. Governor Swift announced the Minuteman design in June 1999.

“The two students who submitted the Massachusetts Minuteman design should be proud of their hard work and creativity, which will grace the new Massachusetts quarter,” said Swift. “This contest was an exciting way for all of our elementary school students to play a role in selecting our state’s coin and an unique opportunity to learn about our state’s distinguished history.”

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.

For more information on the 50 State Quarters and how to collect them, visit the Mint’s web site at www.usmint.gov.