The Quarter Dollar is a United States coin worth 25 cents. It has been produced on and off since 1796 and consistently since 1831. From its inception until 1964, the denomination was issued in silver; it underwent several design changes, including finally the silver Washington quarter (1932 - 1964) featuring the first President of the United States on the obverse and the American Eagle clutching a bunch of arrows on the reverse. Initially meant as a one-year design to commemorate 200 years since the birth of George Washington in 1932, the obverse became the definitive design for the denomination and has been used ever since. The reverse was issued in this form until 1998, after which time a large number of circulating commemoratives started being issued instead; the State Quarters series of 50 coins featuring each State was issued from 1999 to 2008; in 2009, a six-coin series represented the District of Columbia and five US territories.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Program (abbreviated ATB) running from 2010 until 2021 was then introduced; it is a 56 quarter-dollar coin series featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites in each state, federal district or territory.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter is the first to be released in 2014 and the 21st overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program; it was released on 27 January 2014 and represents the state of Tennessee.
This national park features wondrous biodiversity, with ridge upon ridge of forest straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is world renowned for its diverse plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of southern Appalachian mountain culture. It is America’s most-visited national park. It was first established as a national site on May 22, 1926 (44 Stat. 616).
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee) Quarter Dollars issued in 2014 have now been in circulation for 11 years. |