2011 Vicksburg Quarter
Appearing as the fourth issue in 2011 of the United States Mint's America the Beautiful Quarters® Program will be the 2011 Vicksburg National Military Park Quarter.
2011 Vicksburg Quarter - Click Coin Image to Enlarge
The Vicksburg Quarter launches into circulation through Federal Reserve Banks on August 29, 2011.
These coins honor the military park with a design emblematic of the location on their reverse (tails) side. The military park was originally established on February 21, 1899 to "commemorate the siege and defense of Vicksburg." Its ownership was transferred by the War Department to the National Park Service on August 10, 1933 where it has since remained.Park boundaries reside in and around Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Delta, Louisiana, and commemorate not only the Battle of Vicksburg fought during the American Civil War, but also the greater Vicksburg Campaign which led up to the battle.
The campaign began in late December of 1862, with the siege and Battle of Vicksburg running for 47 days from May 18 to July 4, 1863. The surrender of Vicksburg by Confederate forces to the Union, along with the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg the previous day, marked a turn in the Civil War which eventually resulted in a victory for the United States.
Today, the park consists of over 1,800 acres including such items as 1,325 historic monuments and markers, 20 miles of historic trenches and earthworks, over 100 cannons and the restored gunboat USS Cairo.
Vicksburg Quarter Design
John Flanagan designed the portrait of the first President of the United States, George Washington, that is featured on the obverse of all of the America the Beautiful Quarters. That same image was first used on the quarter dollar in 1932 and has been included on the coin ever since. Also shown on the obverse are the inscriptions 'United States of America,' 'Quarter Dollar,' 'Liberty,' 'In God We Trust' and the mint mark.
The reverse design, by Thomas Cleveland, features the U.S.S. Cairo on the Yazoo River as it would have been seen when it served the U.S. Navy during the Civil War. Inscriptions include VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, 2011 and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
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US $8.95
Vicksburg Quarter Specifications
Mintmark: P, D, S
Composition: 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel
Weight: 5.670 g
Diameter: 24.26 mm
Date of Issue: 2010
Mintages: Based on Demand
Obverse Designer/Sculptor: John Flanagan
Reverse Designer/Sculptor: Thomas Cleveland / Joseph Menna
