WASHINGTON - The United States Mint announced today that quarters honoring Illinois, the first coin in the 50 State Quarters® Program to be struck for the year 2003, will go on sale beginning Thursday, January 2nd, 2003, at 12:00 noon (E.D.T.), and will be available for purchase the entire 10-week release period. The Illinois 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. The Illinois quarters in Two-Roll Sets and Bags are also available as part of the United States Mint’s popular Subscription Program.

Illinois is the 21st state to be honored in the 50 State Quarters Program. The Illinois quarter’s reverse design depicts a young Abraham Lincoln within the outline of the state. A farm scene appears on the left of the outline of the state and the Chicago skyline is on the right of the outline. Twenty-one stars border the coin, signifying Illinois as the 21st state to be admitted into the Union on December 3, 1818.

“The Prairie State,” also commonly known as the “Land of Lincoln,” pays tribute to our Nation’s 16th president. The young Lincoln lived and practiced law in Springfield before becoming one of our Nation’s greatest leaders. President Lincoln’s historic home, burial site and new presidential library are all located in the Springfield area.

Each two-roll set is composed of 80 quarters, one roll of 40 coins with the Philadelphia mint mark and one roll of 40 coins with the Denver Mint mark. Each coin roll is wrapped in a specially designed United States. Mint paper coin wrap that prominently displays the 50 State Quarters program logo, a “P” or “D” representing the roll’s mint of origin, “IL” designating the State of Illinois, and “$10” representing its dollar value.

Each bag is marked with the Mint of origin and the dollar value of its contents ($25 or $250). Two-roll sets will sell for $32.00, bags of 100 coins for $35.50, and bags of 1,000 coins for $300. 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 customers. There are no order limits on these products.

Customers can purchase the Illinois quarters in Two-Roll Sets and Bags by using the United States Mint’s secure website http://www.usmint.gov, or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT. As an added convenience, customers may order future 50 State Quarters rolls and bags online through the United States Mint’s subscription program. For more information about this ordering method, please visit http://www.usmint.gov.

Hearing and speech-impaired customers may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468). A shipping and handling fee of $3.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders.