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.