WASHINGTON - Individual proof coins bearing the portrait of President James Monroe will be available for purchase at noon (ET) on February 28.  Orders for the James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin-Individual Proof Coin^TM, priced at $5.95, will be limited to five units per household for the first week of sales.  At the end of the initial order limit period, the United States Mint will reevaluate this limit and either extend, adjust or remove it.  There is no mintage limit for this option.

The James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin - Individual Proof Coin bears the same image as the circulating coins.  Unlike the coins produced for general circulation, however, the proof coins are struck multiple times with specially polished dies to create a brilliant, sharp relief and mirror-like background. 

Each James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin - Individual Proof Coin is sealed in a protective, rotatable blister.  The edge-incused inscriptions "2008," "E Pluribus Unum," "In God We Trust," and the "S" mint mark (for the United States Mint at San Francisco) are fully visible.  The blister is mounted on an attractively designed pocket-sized card with statistical data about President Monroe to include the years he served as President, his dates of birth and death, his place of birth, his vice president, and his spouse's name.

Customers can order the James Monroe Presidential $1 Coin - Individual Proof Coin and other Presidential $1 Coin products at the United States Mint's secure web site, www.usmint.gov, or by calling the toll-free number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).  A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 will be added to all domestic orders.

Note:  To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, any order placed prior to Noon ET, February 28 shall not be deemed accepted by the United States Mint and will not be honored.