State-Quarter.com

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Mint today announced that a limited edition of 75,000 Rhode Island Official First Day Coin Covers will be available online at www.USMINT.gov. at 12:00 Noon (Eastern Time) on June 25, 2001. The Rhode Island Official First Day Coin Covers feature two Rhode Island quarters from the first day of mintage—May 7, 2001.

Priced at $19.95, the Rhode Island Official First Day Coin Cover includes quarters from both the Philadelphia and Denver Mint facilities on a handsome display card with the 34-cent Statue of Liberty postage stamp.

The postmark of “May 21, 2001, Providence, Rhode Island” marks the day that the Rhode Island quarters were first released to the Federal Reserve Bank and the public—certifying this limited edition and honoring America’s “Ocean State.” The coin’s design features a vintage sailboat gliding through Rhode Island’s famous Narragansett Bay, and an image of the Pell Bridge in the background, with the design showcasing Rhode Island’s most popular sport—sailing.

The Rhode Island quarter is the 13th coin of the 50 State Quarters™ Program that honors 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.

Customers may purchase the Rhode Island Official First Day Coin Covers five ways: First, they can save shipping and handling charges by using the Mint’s secure web site www.USMINT.gov/catalog. Second, they can call 1-800-USA-MINT. Third, they may download an order form at the web site and fax it to (301) 344-4150. Fourth and fifth, you may request an order form from the U.S. Mint’s Customer Care Center at (202) 283-COIN, or download an order form at the web site, and mail it to the U.S. Mint, P.O. Box 382601, Pittsburgh, PA, 15250-8601 (Attention: Order Processing). A shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order will be added to all fax, mail and telephone orders for these products. Hearing and speech impaired customers may order by calling (301) 344-4144 (TTY). Please allow approximately 3-4 weeks for delivery.

Last of the original 13 Colonies honored by U.S. Mint 50 State Quarters™ Program

Newport, RI, May 21, 2001 – Proving that great things come in small packages, Rhode Island – the smallest state in the Union – became the site of a large national celebration led by Governor Lincoln Almond and U.S. Mint Director Jay W. Johnson marking the debut of the 13th new state quarter. Cannons fired and a parade of vintage yachts circled off the coast as dignitaries, schoolchildren and the general public gathered at Fort Adams State Park in Newport to honor Rhode Island and the release of the newest state quarter.

The quarter is one of the most significant coins ever released according to Jay W. Johnson, director of the U.S. Mint. “The launch of the Rhode Island quarter marks an important moment in American history and a milestone for the 50 State Quarters Program,” Johnson said. “For the first time, the first 13 states, and the 13 original colonies will be commemorated on American circulating coinage. The story of our nation, great symbols of our democracy and significant moments from our history are now represented on U.S. currency.”

“Today is a great day for the State of Rhode Island,” said Almond. “The release of the Rhode Island quarter marks the culmination of a process that involved the public in choosing the themes and, ultimately, the design that will convey our state’s heritage to the rest of the nation. The 50 State Quarters Program has given all Rhode Islanders a wonderful opportunity to share our unique character with America.”

The Rhode Island quarter, the third coin in the 2001 series, honors the “Ocean State.” Featuring a vintage sailboat gliding through Rhode Island’s famous Narragansett Bay, and an image of the Pell Bridge in the background, the design showcases Rhode Island’s most popular sport—sailing. Rhode Island residents chose the sailboat from among three candidate designs during two weeks of voting at libraries, the State House and on the Internet. The sailboat design won by 57 percent of the 34,566 votes cast, and was accepted by Governor Almond in July.

During the launch ceremony, the imagery on the new quarter was recreated through the efforts of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA), the Newport Museum of Yachting, the Herreshoff Marine Museum and the Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Vintage yachts organized by the Museum of Yachting circled in the background as RISCA’s Executive Director, Randall Rosenbaum, who helped to oversee the design selection process for Rhode Island, introduced Governor Almond and Director Johnson. Other ceremony participants included U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), U.S. Representative James Langevin (D-RI), schoolchildren from the William J. Underwood School, the U.S. Navy and the Artillery Company of Newport.

The release of the Rhode Island quarter marks the end of production of the North Carolina quarter, released in March 2001. Collectors who wish to purchase rolls and bags of Rhode Island quarters can purchase them through the U.S. Mint Web site at www.usmint.gov during a special 72-hour sale, beginning May 21, 2001 at noon (EST), and ending on May 24, 2001 at noon.

The new quarters are manufactured at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints. Together, they produce all legal tender U.S. circulating coins before shipping them 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.

Launched in 1999, the U.S. Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program is a 10-year initiative honoring each of the nation’s states in the order that they joined the Union or ratified the Constitution. Each quarter is produced for only about 10 weeks, never to be produced again. U.S. Mint research shows that well over 125 million Americans are collecting the 50 State Quarters.

The 50 State Quarters products including the just released collectible proof sets that feature the five quarters of 2001 are adding to the collecting fun. These products and more information about the 50 State Quarters Program are available through the U.S. Mint’s Web site at www.usmint.gov or by calling 1-800-USA MINT.

Washington, D.C., May 14, 2001 — The U.S. Mint announced today that circulating quarters with a reverse design honoring Rhode Island will be sold online beginning May 21, 2001, at 12:00 noon (ET), and ending May 24, 2001, at 12:00 noon (ET). The Rhode Island quarters are available in two-roll sets (40 coins per roll), including one Philadelphia and Denver Mint Mark coin roll each, and in bags of 100 and 1,000 coins.

Collectors will have 72 hours to purchase two-roll sets and bags of the newest quarters. The Rhode Island quarter is the third coin struck for the year 2001 under the 50 State Quarters™ Program. With the release of the Rhode Island quarter, for the first time in history, the original 13 Colonies will be commemorated on circulating American coinage. The Rhode Island quarter, which honors the “Ocean State”, features a vintage sailboat gliding through Rhode Island’s famous Narragansett Bay, and an image of the Pell Bridge in the background, showcasing Rhode Island’s most popular sport-sailing.

Each coin roll is wrapped in a specially designed U.S. Mint paper coin wrap which prominently displays the 50 State Quarters™ Program logo, a “P” or “D” representing the roll’s mint of origin, “RI” designating the state of Rhode Island, and “$10” representing its dollar value. These rolls 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 to you from the U.S. Mint. Each bag is marked with the Mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). Note that there are no order limits on these products.

Customers can purchase the Rhode Island quarters three ways: First, they can save shipping and handling charges by ordering online using the Mint’s secure web site, at www.usmint.gov/catalog. Second, they may call 1-800-USA-MINT. Third, they may download a fax order form from the web site and fax it to (301) 918-2039. A shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order will be added to all telephone and fax orders for these products. Hearing and speech-impaired customers may order by calling (301) 344-4144 TTY. Please allow approximately 6-8 weeks for delivery.