2011-P Chickasaw 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin Available

The United States Mint released its 2011-P Chickasaw National Recreation Area 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin for Oklahoma on Thursday, February 9, 2012, at Noon (Eastern Time). The coin is the final of five 2011-dated strikes in the Mint’s America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins™ series and also marks the tenth overall in the program.

Listed for $204.95, the Chickasaw silver uncirculated coin is at the same price point as four others in the series which are still available — the 2011 Gettysburg National Military Park Silver Uncirculated Coin for Pennsylvania, the 2011 Glacier National Park Silver Uncirculated Coin for Montana, the 2011 Olympic National Park Silver Uncirculated Coin for Washington and the 2011 Vicksburg National Military Park Silver Uncirculated Coin for Mississippi.

America the Beautiful 5 Ounce Uncirculated Coins are considered the numismatic versions of the Mint’s America the Beautiful 5 Ounce Silver Bullion Coins. Both series feature nearly identical specifications, including compositions of five ounces of .999 fine silver and diameters of three inches.

The inclusion of mint marks on the obverse of the 5 ounce uncirculated coins is a major defining way to tell the two series apart. The mint mark is always a ‘P’, indicating the coins were struck at the U.S. Mint’s facility in Philadelphia. The 5 ounce bullion coins are also struck in Philadelphia but contain no mint mark as is standard Mint practice for its bullion products.

Distribution methods are also different between the two series. These uncirculated coins are initially sold directly to the public by the United States Mint. The related bullion coins are initially sold through the Mint’s network of authorized purchasers who obtain the coins in bulk from the Mint, then resell them for a small premium above the current spot price of the five ounces of silver contained in each.

Both series share their obverse and reverse designs with yet a third U.S. Mint series — the America the Beautiful Quarters®. The circulating quarter dollars serve as the basis for all three series with inscriptions and face values of the strikes all reflecting that fact.

Thus, shown on the obverse of this Chickasaw Silver Uncirculated Coin is a portrait of George Washington, the first President of the United States. This same portrait is found on the obverse of all America the Beautiful related coins and was designed by John Flanagan. It also features the inscriptions of UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and QUARTER DOLLAR.

The reverse showcases the image emblematic of Chickasaw National Recreation Area with a depiction of the Lincoln Bridge and surrounded landscape found within Chickasaw. This design was completed by AIP Master Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Jim Licaretz and includes the inscriptions of CHICKASAW, OKLAHOMA, 2011 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

An edge inscription is used on each five ounce coin to identify its weight and fineness. The inscription reads .999 FINE SILVER 5.0 OUNCE.

These 2011 Chickasaw Silver Uncirculated Coins were actually struck in 2011 despite their 2012 release date. The United States Mint has been following a staggered release schedule since the debut of the first strike in the series, the Hot Springs Silver Uncirculated Coin on April 28, 2011. That schedule saw the first three of five 2011-dated America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coins actually released in 2011 leaving the last two for 2012 debuts.

The 2011-P Chickasaw 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin features a maximum mintage of 35,000 and may be ordered at http://www.usmint.gov/ or via the toll-free phone number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).