Collectors may begin placing their orders for bags and rolls of Guam commemorative quarter-dollar coins on May 26, at noon Eastern Time. The bags and rolls contain general circulating quality coins struck on the production floors at the United States Mint facilities at Denver and Philadelphia.

The bags of Guam quarters are packaged in 100-coin bags ($32.95) and 1,000-coin bags ($309.95). Each bag has a tag identifying the mint of origin and “GU.”

The two-roll sets ($32.95) include one roll each of 40 coins bearing the “D” and “P” mint marks. The distinctive packaging displays the mint of origin, “GU” and the dollar value of the contents.

Both options display the genuine United States Mint logo.

The Guam quarter-the third coin in the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program-is scheduled for release by the Federal Reserve on May 26. The coin’s reverse (tails side) design depicts the outline of the island, a flying proa (a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people), and a latte stone (an architectural element used as the base of homes). Inscriptions on the coin’s reverse include GUAM and Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro, which means “Guam – Land of the Chamorro.”

The United States Mint will accept orders for the bags and rolls of Guam quarters at its secure Web site, www.usmint.gov, or at the toll-free number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may call 1-888-321-MINT (6468). Please add $4.95 for shipping and handling to all domestic orders. Because of their size and weight, an additional charge of $7.95 per bag will be applied to orders for 1,000-coin quarter bags.

The United States Mint will present the second redesigned one-cent coin (penny), bearing an image representing Abraham Lincoln’s formative years, at a ceremony in Indiana on May 14. The public and the media are invited to the free event, which will take place in Lincoln State Park at the Lincoln Amphitheatre in Lincoln City at 10 a.m. CDT (11 a.m. EDT).

Following the ceremony, there will be a coin exchange where the public can exchange their currency for a minimum of two rolls and up to six rolls of coins bearing the new design, while supplies last. (The limits are subject to change.) Those who cannot attend the event can purchase a Two-Roll Set of coins bearing the Formative Years design directly from United States Mint’s Web site, www.usmint.gov, or the toll-free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468), beginning noon ET on May 14. The Two-Roll Set will be available for a limited time only and is priced at $8.95 per two-roll set. A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders. There is an order limit of five sets per household.

The United States Mint is mandated by Title III of Public Law 109-145-the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005-to issue a series of four different pennies in recognition of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln cent. The reverse (tails side) will reflect four different designs, each one representing a different aspect, or theme, of President Lincoln’s life. The obverse (heads side) of all four redesigned one-cent coins will continue to bear the likeness of President Lincoln that has graced the penny since 1909.

The themes for the reverse designs represent four major aspects of Abraham Lincoln’s life: his birth and early childhood in Kentucky; his formative years in Indiana; his professional life in Illinois; and his presidency in Washington, D.C. The third redesigned penny will be put into circulation in August, followed by the fourth design in November. (more…)

By Roger Burdette

The MMIX ultra high relief gold double eagle was inspired by the original extremely high relief experimental pieces struck in 1907. Mint Director Edmund Moy commented on several occasions that he wanted the U.S. Mint to right the wrong done to Saint-Gaudens’s design in 1907. He wanted to make this magnificent design available to coin collectors in all its original glory.

The design itself was first shown to President Theodore Roosevelt in December 1906. At the time, Roosevelt ordered the Mint to produce experimental examples exactly following the artist’s models. Mint engraver Charles Barber took his job seriously, and although he and Saint-Gaudens despised one another personally, Barber had considerable respect for the sculptor’s artistic talent and reputation. To a remarkable extent, this was accomplished by Barber during the first week of January 1907, with considerable assistance from Henri Weil. The two not only prepared hubs for a normal 32-millimeter diameter double eagle, but another set that were 27-millimeters in diameter – the size of the current $10 gold eagle.

Experimental pieces in both diameters were intended to determine how many blows it took to fully express Saint-Gaudens’ high relief design. Everyone, including Saint-Gaudens, knew that a coin with such high relief could not be struck with one blow from a normal press, but no one knew how many it would take. Barber hoped that the small diameter pieces would allow more of the force of the press to be concentrated and result in fully struck coins with fewer blows.

During the second week of February fifteen small diameter pieces were struck, although we do not know how many blows it took. Each coin was 27-millimeters in diameter but contained the same gold as a $20 coin. The result was a small, very thick coin with a decided “lump-like” feel. As was common, the mint director, George Roberts, took a couple specimens of normal and small diameter experimental pieces back to Washington. He gave one pair to Mint Auditor (and former Director) Robert Preston, and kept one pair for himself after showing the pieces to the President. (more…)