PRESIDENT SIGNS CASTLE'S NATIONAL PARKS QUARTER PROGRAM INTO LAW
Castle Urges Swift Establishment of a Delaware National Park
Washington
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Today, President
George W. Bush signed H.R. 6184, the America’s Beautiful National Parks
Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008, into law. This bill,
which was introduced in May of 2008 by Delaware Congressman Mike
Castle, establishes a program in which the reverse side of quarters
will have designs emblematic of a national park or other national site
in each State, the District of Columbia, and each territory of the
United States, issued beginning in 2010.
"Since the launch of the successful 50 State Quarters Program 10 years
ago, I have been thinking about a follow up program. I am encouraged
that this program has the potential to be every bit as successful as
its predecessor-both as an educational tool and as a collector's item,"
said Rep. Castle following today's Presidential actions. "However, this
program is unique in that Delaware may be the last coin instead of the
first, as we do not yet have a National Park. I am pleased that this
bill quickly moved through the legislative process and look forward to
working with the Delaware Delegation to establish a National Park in
the great State of Delaware."
The program requires these coins to be issued at a rate of five new
designs each year in the order in which the sites selected were
established. The site selections will be made by the Treasury Secretary
after consultation with the Interior secretary and the Governor of each
state.
This announcement comes just weeks after the U.S. Mint deemed Rep.
Castle's 50 State Quarter's Program the most successful coin initiative
in American history, netting between $ 2.7 and $ 2.9 billion.
"This groundbreaking initiative has been the most successful coin
program in the Nation's history," said United States Mint Director Ed
Moy, in a press release praising the program's success. "The 50 State
Quarters Program has educated a generation of Americans about the
history and geography of the States. It has also generated tremendous
state pride and encouraged citizens to consider which images should
symbolize the region where they live."