I have always loved silver coins, and a 5 ounce silver bullion coin seems to be just the right size. That is why I fell in love with the America the Beautiful coins when the silver coin series was first released. It was also the series that gave me my favorite 5 ounce silver bullion coin of all—the America the Beautiful quarter that honors my favorite National Park: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas .

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is America’s first national park and was established way back in 1872. I have taken many vacations to this beautiful spot, so remember it fondly. I was so pleased to honor it by collecting the 5 ounce silver bullion coin bearing its name from the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters® Program.

But oddly enough, even though Yellowstone was the first National Park, it was not the first coin minted in this series. That honor goes to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas because it had received a reserve designation in 1832 — it became a national park in 1922. At any rate, when the Yellowstone 5 ounce silver coin was released, I was first in line. And since I have collected every 5 ounce quarter in the series.

Here are some facts about the series. The silver bullion series began 2010 when the U.S. Mint began to issue 56 quarter-dollar silver 5 ounce coins featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites. These coins were launched as part of the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters® Program. If are a fan of silver coins, silver bullion, or just love America the Beautiful, then you want to be collecting this series. The first five America the Beautiful National Parks Quarters that were released in 2010 all honored the five national sites: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona  , Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.

I love the design of the America the Beautiful 5 ounce silver coins. The obverse or heads side of each quarter will bear a restored version of George Washington portrait which was first featured on the quarter-dollar in 1932. William Cousins modified that design slightly and his work has been seen on quarters since the 1999 launch of the 50 State Quarters Program. Each year, the public will see five new national site designs depicted on the reverse (tails side) of America the Beautiful Quarters.  The United States Mint will issue these quarters in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site.

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Eagle National Mint Eagle National Mint House writer

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