Put-in-Bay Quarter Makes Its Debut!
Put-in-Bay Quarter Released-The United States Mint and the National Park Service joined state and local officials in the village of Put-in-Bay Saturday, April 20th at the Put-in-Bay Conference Center for the launch of the latest America the Beautiful Quarters coin, which honors Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. The memorial is a tribute to Master Commandant Oliver Perry’s decisive naval victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. It celebrates the lasting peace among Britain, Canada, and the United States.
“Today we celebrate a national park that is small in acreage but significant in American history, a memorial to those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812, a piece of Ohio and American heritage in a setting of extraordinary natural beauty,” said United States Mint Acting Associate Director for Sales and Marketing J. Marc Landry.
“It is easy to see why Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial was chosen to be part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.” Landry and Perry Monument Superintendent Blanca Alvarez Stransky were joined by special guests U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, Put-in-Bay Mayor Ruth Scarpelli, and President/General Manager Greg Peiffer of WPIB/WPCR radio, who served as master of ceremonies.
After the launch event, attendees exchanged bills for $10 rolls of newly minted Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial Put-in-Bay quarters. Landry also hosted a coin forum on the evening of Friday, April 19, on the mainland to discuss U.S. coinage and learn about United States Mint coin programs and initiatives.
The Put-in-Bay Quarter coin release ceremony was originally to take place at Perry’s Monument. Still, a brisk wind with temperatures in the 30s had officials prudently move it to the Convention Center. The main room at the center was packed like a can of sardines with people waiting to get their hands on some of the rolls of the newly minted Put-in-Bay Quarter coin.
After the ceremony, everyone got in line to get rolls of the new quarter from First National Bank staff at a table set up at the back of the room. At first, there was a minimum of one $10 roll with a maximum of ten rolls, but after a while, the maximum was reduced to five rolls. Shortly after, they ran out of coins, sending many away “quarterless.” In the audience was a coin collector from the other side of the country who came especially to get the quarter, but he even went away pretty empty-handed except for a few single coins the tellers were selling at the end.
Put-in-Bay Postmaster JR Domer had a special postmark for the event, and many of those with rolls headed immediately to the post office, where they put stamps on their rolls and stamped them. JR and his new first-day-on the- job helper, Lesa Jenkins, were busy until after 4 p.m. stamping the rolls and selling stamps. At one time, the lineup out of the post office went all the way to the parking lot entrance across from the Hardware Store. Also on hand was the designer of the postmark, Chuck Taylor, who signed many of the rolls.
The Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial quarter is the 17th coin released in the United States Mint’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program, authorized by Public Law 110-456. The public will see five new quarters with reverse designs representing select national sites each year, with one final coin released in 2021. The United States Mint will issue these quarters in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site.
The Put-in-Bay quarter was released into circulation on April 1, 2013. The same day, the United States Mint began accepting orders for collectible bags and rolls containing the new Put-in-Bay quarter. For information about these products or to place an order, please visit the United States Mint’s online catalog. The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792.
It became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. The United States Mint’s numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to the taxpayer.
If you didn’t get any Put-in-Bay quarters at the release ceremony, rolls were available at First National Bank branches on the mainland starting Monday following the ceremony. The branches ran out of rolls, but some were saved for the branch at Put-in-Bay when it opened on Wednesday. They were available with a limit of five rolls ($50) for bank customers and one roll, $10 worth, for non-customers.
Kathy Magers from the bank said First National would be trying to order more because of their popularity, but she wasn’t sure about the details of when more might be available. Interestingly, there were coin collectors and dealers in the audience from as far away as the West Coast who did not get any coins.
And finally…On Monday, April 29th, Lee Patry from Bayview Ave. emailed us saying, “From one island to another…… Yesterday, I got a handful of changes back on Hilton Head, and among the change were TWO Put-in-Bay Quarters quarters from Put-in-Bay…It’s a small world…..”
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