At noon today, April 20, the United States Mint released circulating-quality Kisatchie quarters, the second of the five America the Beautiful Quarters for 2015 and the 27th in the series overall. Commemorating the national forest in Louisiana, the quarters are now available in U.S. Mint-branded rolls and bags.
Although Kisatchie quarters launched into circulation back on April 13, many collectors will buy them from the Mint because there’s a lot of chance and time involved in finding quarters of a certain design in change.
Before the image for the Kisatchie quarter was selected, a total of 8 candidate designs went under review. Seven of them, including the winning design, prominently depicted birds.
Created by Susan Gamble and sculpted by Joseph Menna, 2015 Kisatchie National Forest Quarters show a wild turkey flying over blue stem grass with long leaf pine trees in the background. Completing the design are encircling inscriptions of KISATCHIE, LOUISIANA, 2015 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
This quarter features a wild turkey in flight.
The obverse of the coin has John Flanagan’s portrait of George Washington, which is common to all America the Beautiful Quarters. Surrounding the likeness are inscriptions reading UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR.
Also appearing on this side is a mint mark of "P," "D" or "S" to notate that the coin was struck in Philadelphia, Denver or San Francisco.
Quarters from Denver and Philadelphia will eventually make their way into change. That will not happen with those from San Francisco since they are made only for collectors.
Those who are interested in any of the above products can order them by going to the United States Mint’s website at www.usmint.gov. Here’s a link to the Mint’s quarter products. Use 1-800- USA-MINT (872-6468) for phone orders.
Honoring national parks, national forests and other national sites around the United States, the program of America the Beautiful Quarters kicked off in 2010 and has seen five quarters each year.
The Homestead National Monument of America quarter was the first one issued this year. The quarters that have yet to be released this year will honor Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware and Saratoga National Historical Park in New York.
The program is scheduled to release 29 more coins and wrap-up in 2021 when a national site has been honored in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five territories of the United States.
I found a quarter today in my pocketbook with kisatochie on it. It was a word I had never heard before and was not in the dictionary. I had not seen this quarter either. So, to the computer! I read myrtles’ paragraph. What a wonderful way to remember your father. Blessings to you. I collect new quarters; will add this one to my collection. I will think of you when I see it.
I realize Kisatchie is the national forest in Louisiana but where does the name come from? Sounds Indian or did the french have any influence on the name?
I have not been able to track this down but love to here the history and memories.