The United States Mint on Wednesday began selling Northern Mariana Islands Quarter First Day Coin Covers for $14.95.
The 20,000 limited edition cover includes the final two quarters struck in the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program. One quarter-dollar is from the US Mint’s Denver facility while the other was produced in Philadelphia. Both coins were minted on the first day of Northern Mariana Islands Quarter production.
An attractive display card housing the quarters includes a 44-cent Flag stamp and a postmark of November 30, 2009, Saipan, CNMI, marking when the commemoratives were first released to the public.
On the reverse of the coins is a design highlighting the islands wealth of air, land and sea resources. A large limestone latte (an ancient indigenous Chamorro structure) is seen near the shore where a canoe is spotted. Flying overhead are two white fairy tern birds. Below the latte is a Carolinian mwar (head lei), which signifies honor and respect. The reverse was designed by Richard Masters and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.
The five other quarter-dollars released in 2009 commemorate D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands Quarter.
Northern Mariana Islands quarter mintages and sales figures
The Northern Mariana Islands quarters are officially the scarcest of all the 2009 quarters, or of any quarter in decades for that matter.
72.8 million were produced in total, with 35.2 million of those struck in Philadelphia and 37.6 million at Denver.
That accounts for just 88.6 percent of the prior US Virgin Islands quarter production run. But for the starkest contrast, it represents just 42.2 percent of the mintage totals for this year’s first issued DC quarter. (See Northern Mariana Islands Quarters Mintages for additional information.)
The US Mint also currently offers the circulating quarters in bags and rolls. The following table shows the latest available sales figures for these compared to their week prior numbers (Jan. 3 vs. Jan. 10).
Northern Mariana Islands Quarter Sales |
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Old Sales
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New Sales
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Unit Change
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% Increase
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Total
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| 100-Coin Bag (P) | 6,399 | 6,641 | 242 | 3.78% | 13,023 | |
| 100-Coin Bag (D) | 6,166 | 6,382 | 216 | 3.50% | ||
| 1000-Coin Bag (P) | 1,378 | 1,390 | 12 | 0.87% | 2,090 | |
| 1000-Coin Bag (D) | 692 | 700 | 8 | 1.16% | ||
| Two-Roll Set | 28,192 | 29,135 | 943 | 3.34% | 29,135 | |
As a side note, the previous four 2009 quarter Official First Day Coin Covers are still available at the US Mint for the same $14.95 price. The latest Mint sales figures (as of Jan. 10, 2010) show DC quarter covers at 17,987, Puerto Rico quarter cover at 14,871, the Guam cover at 11,353, the American Samoa cover at 9,684 and the U.S. Virgin Islands cover at 7,629.
Northern Mariana Islands quarter cover order information
Orders may be placed online at:
D.C. & US Territories Collectibles
The covers may also be purchased through the Mint’s toll-free number, 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech-impaired customers may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468).
Additional quarter program information is provided by the Mint here.
Now that the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program has concluded, the US Mint will turn its attention of the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters.
