The quarter, short for quarter dollar, is a United States coin worth 25 cents, one-quarter of a dollar. The coin sports the profile of George Washington on its obverse, and after 1998 its reverse design has changed frequently. It has been produced on and off since 1796 and consistently since 1831.
The United States Mint is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movement of bullion. The U.S. Mint is one of two U.S. agencies that produce money in the case of minting coinage; the other is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which prints paper currency. The first United States Mint was created in Philadelphia in 1792, and soon joined by other centers, whose coins were identified by their own mint marks. There are currently four active coin-producing mints: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point.
The United States Mint has minted numerous commemorative coins to commemorate persons, places, events, and institutions since 1848. Many of these coins are not intended for general circulation, but are still legal tender. The mint also produces commemorative medals, which are similar to coins but do not have a face value, and therefore are not legal tender.
The Carson City Mint was a branch of the United States Mint in Carson City, Nevada. It primarily minted silver coins; however, it also minted gold coins, with a total face value in dollars nearly equal to that of its silver coins. The mint minted coins in 21 different years.
In 2007, the United States Mint released a gold five-dollar commemorative coin which commemorates the 400th year after the founding of Jamestown. Surcharges from the sale of the Jamestown commemorative were donated to Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Secretary of the Interior and the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities to support programs that promote the understanding of the legacies of Jamestown.
The bill entitled To specify the size of the precious-metal blanks that will be used in the production of the National Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coins became a law on May 17, 2013 during the 113th United States Congress. It was first introduced in the United States House of Representatives on March 12, 2013 by Rep. Richard L. Hanna (R-NY). The bill corrects a technical problem in a previous law dealing with commemorative coins.
The National Park Service 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act was a bill that would have directed the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Park Service (NPS) in 2016. The coins would have had a surcharge attached, the money from which was given to the National Park Foundation.
The Robert F. Kennedy silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1998. It honors former United States Attorney General, U.S. Senator from New York, and assassinated presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
The White House Bicentennial silver dollar is a commemorative silver dollar issued by the United States Mint in 1992.
The Thomas Alva Edison silver dollar is a commemorative silver dollar issued by the United States Mint in 2004. It portrays American inventor Thomas Edison.
The Yellowstone National Park silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1999. Proceeds benefitted Yellowstone National Park and other national parks via the National Park Foundation.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 2009.
The Louis Braille Bicentennial silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 2009.
The Basketball Hall of Fame commemorative coins are a series of coins to be issued by the United States Mint in 2020. The coins were authorized by Public Law 115–343 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Christa McAuliffe silver dollar is a commemorative coin which was issued by the United States Mint in 2021.
The Women's Suffrage Centennial silver dollar is a commemorative coin which was issued by the United States Mint in 2020.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial silver dollar is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1994. It was one of three coins in the 1994 Veterans Program, along with the Prisoners of War and Women in Military Service for America Memorial silver dollars.
The Civil War Battlefields commemorative coins are a series of commemorative coins which were issued by the United States Mint in 1995.
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt gold half eagle is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1997.
The George Washington gold half eagle is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1999, the 200th anniversary of Washington's death.
