America the Beautiful Uncirculated Five Ounce Silver Coin Released

We have all become used to the regular releases each year of America the Beautiful quarters. This year the US Mint has gone a little upscale, and 2018 sees the release of a complementary series in 5 oz silver coins. These coins are planned to mirror the quarters series, but in silver.

The first in the series was released on February 9. Each coin is 3 inches in diameter and is made of 99.9% silver. The coins all have an uncirculated finish and are engraved with “P”, the mint mark for the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia, the facility responsible for striking these coins. The maximum mintage cannot exceed 20,000 coins.

The obverse will be constant throughout and features a 1932 profile portrait of George Washington by John Flanigan. Small alterations have been made to the design since then, and it is the standard obverse for all quarters. Above the bust is UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and below, QUARTER DOLLAR. To the left is the word, LIBERTY, and to the right, IN GOD WE TRUST.

Each reverse will show a different National Park or Memorial, and the first coin in the series features the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This area, running for 42 miles along the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan, covers 73,236 acres, with grand views of the shoreline between Munising and Grand Marais. The area has been popular with artists and writers since the 19^th century, for its wonderful views of the rocky shore and the water. There are a variety of rock formations, including natural archways, waterfalls, as well as sand dunes. This area was America’s first National Lakeshore, protected since 1966.

One of the most famous of these natural features is Chapel Rock, a free-standing rocky archway, topped with a solitary white pine tree. This is the subject of the design on the coin, created by Paul C. Balan. This artist’s life is a classic American story. He arrived from the Philippines in 2001 with $5 in his pocket. As soon as he had a stable job to support his family he returned to his true love – art. In 2009 he was selected to join the Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program and has also created the design for the prestigious National Humanities Medal. His design for this quarter was turned into a coin die by the Mint sculptor-engraver Michael Gaudioso. He has trained in Russia and has become well-known for his work since he joined the Mint in 2009. Above Balan’s dramatic illustration of Chapel Rock are the words, PICTURED ROCKS, and below the year of release, 2018. The inscriptions are completed with MICHIGAN, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

This new release is sure to attract a lot of interest from collectors, who will be keen to enhance and compliment their collections of America the Beautiful quarters with these new silver versions.