Hawaii Volcanoes National Park To Be Celebrated On a 25-Cent Piece

You'll have no worries about placing this volcano in your pocket when the U.S. Mint releases a commemorative quarter honoring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Come August, you'll be able to comfortably place a volcano in your pocket. That's when the U.S. Mint is planning to release a commemorative quarter featuring Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

The 25-cent piece, part of the Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters® Program, depicts an eruption on the east rift zone of Kīlauea, and inscriptions include HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES, HAWAII 2012, and E PLURIBUS UNUM. It was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles L. Vickers.

“We are extremely honored that Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park was selected by the United States Mint to represent our state on the America the Beautiful quarter, and that they solicited our design input,” said Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando.

According to the United States Mint, the Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ quarter to be released August 27 will be the fourth quarter unveiled in 2012, and the 14th in a series of 56 circulating America the Beautiful quarters. The reverse side (or tails side) designs are symbolic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.

All coins in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program have a common obverse (heads side) featuring the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, restored to bring out subtle details and the beauty of the original model. Inscriptions on the obverse are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and QUARTER DOLLAR.

Other emblematic coins with 2012 release dates include El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, Acadia National Park in Maine, and Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska.