Mint strikes Oregon quarter
Herald and News
Klamath Falls, Oregon
May 27, 2005
By LEE JUILLERAT
Chuck Lundy, Crater Lake National Park’s superintendent, was among the group of Oregonians in Denver Thursday for the ceremonial strike of the Oregon quarter at the U.S. Mint.
 |
|
|
The quarter, which will be released for public distribution June 6, features an image of Crater Lake, with Wizard Island and Llao Rock.
“It was pretty cool,” Lundy said. “We got to see all these Oregon quarters, millions of them, being produced.”
Lundy said 50 machines are producing 750 Oregon quarters per minute, or about 36 million per day. Over the course of eight to 10 weeks, about 550 million Oregon quarters will be produced. They will be sent to Federal Reserve banks for distribution to banks.
Each Oregon delegation member was allowed to go to a machine and push a button creating a quarter. After looking at the special strike quarters, they were given back to Mint officials, who will mail them to Lundy and others.
State Treasurer Randall Edwards led the group of Oregonians, which included members of the Oregon Commemorative Coin Commission.
“This historic day marks the rewards of a thoughtful process with input from Oregonians, our coin commission, and state and federal cooperation,” Edwards said.
“It is also the beginning of a national distribution of one of Oregon’s many natural treasures. The Crater Lake image for the Oregon quarter is a symbol that perfectly captures the natural beauty of Oregon and the spirit of its people, from ancient times to today.”
The ceremony included remarks by Edwards and Tim Riley, the Mint’s Denver plant manager, a ceremonial striking of the Oregon quarter, and tour of the Denver plant.
Along with Edwards and Lundy, other attendees included some members of the Oregon Commemorative Coin Commission and state Rep. George Gilman, whose District 55 includes the park.
The official launch of the Oregon quarter will be Wednesday, June 15, at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Formal ceremonies will run from at 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. followed by a block party and quarter exchange will follow from 12:45 to 2:30 p.m. The festivities include free ice cream, entertainment, a free quarter for kids younger than 18, and an opportunity to buy uncirculated rolls of Oregon quarters.
Various local organizations are planning projects to distribute the quarters once they become available.
For more information, visit www.traveloregon.com/oregonquarter/event.
***previous*** — ***next***
