Welcome to the spring 2008 issue of Making Cents, the online newsletter that tells you what's new and striking at the United States Mint.  Be sure to check back every 3 months for a new issue.

Come Inside!

It was in 1792 that the United States Mint was created by law, and its first building turned out its first coins the following year.  There have been many changes and events during more than 200 years of making America's coins.  And now, you can find out all about them!

A new feature called "Inside the United States Mint" has made its spring debut.  Follow the five facilities from small beginnings to world-class production.  Find out what happens in each facility today and hear a hint of the history that happened along the way.

The pages of "Inside the United States Mint" are found in the Coin News area.  Come inside for a personal tour!

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Coins of a Different Finish

The coins in our pockets can become part of a coin collection, and they're easy to collect because we use them every day.  But for the same reason, they can get pretty beat up, scratched, and dirty.  If only some of the coins were made especially for collectors!

Well, guess what: Some are! Both spending (circulating) and special (commemorative) coins are made for collectors using finishes called "uncirculated" and "proof."

Inspector Collector has the scoop over at Camp Coin on a brand-new page called "Coin Finishes."  Pay him a visit as he explains how coins with these finishes look different from regular circulating coins and how they're made that way.

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Fifty-One Pages to Color

If you've spent much time around the H.I.P. Pocket Change™ Web site, you've probably seen quarters from the 50 State Quarters^® Program.  Well, as the program draws to a close in 2008 and all 50 designs have been revealed, the full set of 50 coloring pages is complete!  If you count the front of the quarter, that makes 51 pages of coloring fun!

You can download any or all of these pages from Camp Coin's "Coloring Pages" page.  Of course, "51" is only the number of 50 State Quarters coloring pages.  There are also pages of circulating coins, the H.I.P. Pocket Change Pals, and lots more to download for free, print, and color!

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Time Machine in the 1950s

Time for another wild ride in the Time Machine!  On this trip, Inspector Collector and his young friend Monroe travel to the time of an important moment in Civil Rights history:  the Montgomery bus boycott.

Find out first-hand about the woman on Monroe's medal and tons more!  Click on the 1956 era in Time Machine.

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More Medals Means More Medal Mania

...And more medals is what Inspector Collector has this spring!  Spring is a time of new things, and that reminds him of the new things that scientists have invented over the years.  Some of those inventors have improved life so much that Congress has awarded them gold medals.

The Inspector has collected bronze copies of some of these medals and gathered them for you at Camp Coin.  Check out the beautiful medals and the great work of these pioneers in the "Science, Medicine, and Agriculture" section of Medal Mania.

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Quarter of the Quarter:  New Mexico

The New Mexico quarter shows the state outline and a Zia Sun symbol.  This quarter, which begins circulating in April, is also April's Coin of the Month.  Bill presents this coin and the state's varied geography—mountains, deserts, farmlands, and more—as indicated by the textured surface on the quarter.

You can also go to the New Mexico quarter page and learn about the meaning of the Zia symbol and why it's important to New Mexico.

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Spring 2008 Crossword

We hope you've enjoyed this issue of Making Cents!  Click to see and print out the crossword puzzle.  Most of the words in the puzzle are used in this issue, so you should already have a clue!

Check your answers with the answer key.

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