America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set Information

The 2010 United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set™ is the first of two sets released by the United States Mint this year that includes silver versions of American circulating coinage.

The price for the sets has been established at $32.95. This is $3 more than last year’s set, which actually had one more quarter. However, the price of silver was several dollars cheaper when the U.S. Mint began producing the 2009s, as compared to today.

As the name of the set indicates, the collection is limited to this year’s America the Beautiful Quarters™. However, what makes it most unique is the fact that this it is the premier year for the 11-year series. As such, collectors who might be interested in obtaining the silver proof set each year will make sure to purchase this initial on for their collection. Historically, annual silver quarter sets have been a popular Mint offering for collectors.

America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 authorized the original circulating coins to be "emblematic of a national park or other national site." With this in mind, the US Mint is running the program in the same format as the highly successful 50-State Quarter series and its follow-up, the District of Columbia and United States Territories Series.

Each year, five new coins will be created with a new design honoring the chosen national sites. One site has been selected from each state, the District of Columbia and the US Territories, for a total of 56 new coins. The order of issuance is dictated by the date upon which the selected site came under the control of the federal government.

For 2010, the new America the Beautiful Quarters to be issued include:

• 2010 Hot Springs National Park Quarter (Arkansas)
• 2010 Yellowstone National Park Quarter (Wyoming)
• 2010 Yosemite National Park Quarter (California)
• 2010 Grand Canyon National Park Quarter (Arizona)
• 2010 Mount Hood National Forest Site Quarter (Oregon)

The silver proof set will feature these coins struck in 90% silver at the US Mint’s facility in San Francisco. Each bears the "S" mint mark, denoting their origin. Normal circulation quality strikes of the coins are done at either the US Mint in Denver or the US Mint in Philadelphia. At a standard weight of 6.250 grams per coin, the America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set includes 0.904 ounces of silver which is an intrinsic value of $16.81 at a silver spot price of $18.59 an ounce.

The US Mint officially launched the America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set on May 27, 2010, at noon Eastern Time. Last year’s D.C. & U.S. Territories Quarters Silver Proof Set debuted on March 23, 2009.

It may be purchased directly from the US Mint Product Page, or by calling their toll free telephone number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

The Mint’s annual 2010 Mint Silver Proof Set will also include the quarter-dollars in silver, as well as the Roosevelt dime and Kennedy half-dollar. It is currently scheduled for a August/September release.

In addition to the collector silver quarters, the Mint will also strike America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins that have a diameter of 3.0 inches and a massive weight of 5.0 ounces of .999 fine silver.

These are duplicates of the quarters with the exception of their composition, size and edge letterings, which include the fineness and weight of each silver coin. The Mint will not sell these directly, but instead offer them to their small network of authorized bullion buyers, who in turn will resell them to the public.