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History and art in your pocket: the Gettysburg National Park neighborhood

The sixth coin in the United States Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters series celebrates the United States Military Park in Gettysburg.

The United States Mint is the federal agency that provides coins to the people of the United States. After the wildly successful “State Quarters” series, which was struck from 1999-2008, Congress decided to once again change the reverse (commonly called the “tails” side) of the coin into an entirely new series of Quarters. Once again, Congress authorized a series of designs that would change from year to year (in fact, several times a year) for more than a decade. This time Congress decided to celebrate several places that are under the authority of the National Park Service. While these sites certainly include National Parks, they also include National Historic Sites, National Monuments, Recreation Areas, and Wildlife Refuges.

The series is called America the beautiful neighborhoods series, but they are informally known as National Parks Quarter Serie. Five designs will be issued per year from 2010 to 2020. But since the series includes sites from various Territories, the series had to be extended to 2021. Six coins will be issued during the last year of the series.

As with the State Quarters series, it was decided that the Mint would distribute submissions of the designs throughout each year. Plan a ceremony at (or near) the site held for each Quarter. The first coin issued featured Hot Springs National Park. It was released on April 19, 2010. Rooms followed with designs celebrating Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Mount Hood National Forest. These coins were very well received, with thousands of people flocking to the casting ceremonies.

The sixth quarter of the series, released in January 2011, featured Gettysburg National Military Park.

Gettysburg was the site of what was arguably the most significant and well-known battle of the American Civil War July 1–3, 1863, approximately 95,000 Union soldiers faced about 75,000 Confederates in battle in the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.

The South had decided to take the war to the North in an attempt to change Northerners’ views on the war. Confederate President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee hoped that seeing battles on their own soil would horrify the North and cause it to sue for peace. President Abraham Lincoln and his army, led by Major General George Meade, attempted to repel the invasion from the south. Over the course of three days, the sides fought a bloody battle that resulted in 3,100 Union deaths (14,500 wounded) and between 2,600 and 4,500 Confederate deaths (12,800 wounded). More than 5,000 men from each side were declared missing.

Although the Battle of Gettysburg included many heroic and tragic moments, the most famous episode of the battle was probably a charge by Confederate infantry on July 3. General George Pickett’s division crossed three-quarters of a mile of essentially open fields to storm the Union line. The southern troops suffered terrible casualties. Pickett’s Charge reached what many have called the “Confederate high water mark.” He reached the Union line, but was unable to advance further and fell back through the “killing camp” the southerners had just experienced.

On November 19, less than four months after the battle, a section of the battlefield that had been set aside as a cemetery to honor those who died there was the site of the most historic speeches ever delivered (Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address). . Congress authorized the acquisition of the site from the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association in February 1895. The National Park Service recently began a project to “rehabilitate” the battlefield for historians, students, and the public. in general they can better visualize and understand what happened there. .

The reverse of the Gettysburg ward depicts the 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument, located on the site of “The High Water Mark of the Confederacy”, on Cemetery Ridge, where the Confederate charge was finally halted. The image was designed by Art Infusion Program Master Designer Joel Iskowitz and engraved by US Mint sculptor-engraver Phebe Hemphill.

Will the National Park neighborhoods be popular? The coin collector community experienced significant growth during the run of the State Quarters series. Established collectors and the general public eagerly awaited the release of each new State Quarter. Once in circulation, State Quarters were often snatched and inserted into specially designed foam binders, albums, and even maps that allowed numismatic finds to be placed in spaces within (or near) the corresponding state lines. Each of these storage and display options is also available for the National Parks Quarters series.

Many members of the general public are not even aware of the new series of quarters. Some people even mistakenly assume that the new numbers are simply an extension of the State Quarters program. But as new coins become more commonly found in circulation, casual collectors will start to take notice of the new designs. People will no doubt put the coins aside and start amassing a new collection! In addition to making the hobby of numismatics popular again, people will no doubt become more aware of the history of the National Park Service and the presence of these treasures in their states. Regional pride will increase as local people see their community and state celebrated. In addition, the new coins will contribute to the US Mint’s coffers due to the premium charged to collectors for collectible-grade coins.

So next time you’re reaching into your pocket to pay for a soda from a machine, take a little closer look at the coins you find there. When the fast food place gives you change for your burger and fries, take a look at the change before putting it away somewhere. You might find some of the 2,500 pieces just released. When you do (and you will surely start to see the new coins), close your eyes and take a thirty second vacation. Imagine watching Old Faithful erupt, hiking the trails alongside the Grand Canyon, experiencing the spas at Hot Springs, or exploring the countryside where George Pickett’s men fought valiantly for the South. And look forward to the next National Park Quarter skin, which is surely only a few weeks away from its release!

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