The 2017 America the Beautiful quarters released on January 5th this year promise to keep us riveted yet again with their beauty and history. Let's look at each of these quarters now, shall we?

Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa

This particular coin's reverse shows the aerial view of the Effigy mounds National Monument in Iowa. Effigy mounds were built by the Native Americans of the Woodland culture for spiritual purposes or for burials. These mounds number almost 200 and are found primarily in the Allamakee county and a portion is found in the Clayton county, Iowa. The other effigy mounds are found in Ohio and Illinois. The interesting thing about these mounds are that they depict various animals like bears, bisons, birds, panthers, turtles, deers, lynx and water spirits! This 2017 America the Beautiful quarter depicts the effigy mounds in the Marching bear group and has the inscriptions EFFIGY MOUNDS, IOWA, 2017, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri

This coin shows the Alley Mill of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Missouri. The Alley Mill was built by George Washington McCaskill along the Jacks Fork river in 1893-94 to mill wheat grains to flour. While it didn't really take off due to frequent flooding,the quaint mill with its signature red color painting becamethe most-often photographed mill in the country. The Alley Mill has been immortalized in this 2017 America the Beautiful quarter. It has the inscriptions OZARK RIVERWAYS, MISSOURI, 2017, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Frederick Douglass National Historic site, District of Colombia

Frederick Douglass, was born into slavery but later became the face of African-American struggle for social-reform, and the abolition of slavery. With a firm belief that 'knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom', Douglasseducated himself andescaped from slavery with single-minded tenacity. He was an excellent orator and statesman and also a supporter ofwomen suffrage. The Frederick Douglass home and estate came under the National Park service from 1988. This year's edition of the America the Beautiful quarter honors the Frederick Douglass National Historic site. It shows him seated at his writing desk with his home in Washington,D.C in the background. The coin has the inscriptions FREDERICK DOUGLASS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 2017, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

George Rogers Clark National Historical Park, Indiana

George Rogers Clark popularly hailed the 'Conqueror of the North West' was a militia officer from Virginia who defeated the British forces in Kaskaskia and Vincennes during theAmerican War of Independence. His daring winter expedition in 1779 to take over Fort Sacksville in Vincennes from the British forces, made him an early hero of the independence. President Calvin Coolidge authorized a classical memorial to be built in the site of the battle. Frederick Charles Hiron designed the memorial and it was completed in the 1930s. It came under National Park service in 1966. The 2017 America the Beautiful quarter honors this park and has the inscriptions GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, INDIANA, 2017, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

Ellis Island (Statue of Liberty National Monument), New Jersey

Ellis Island was called the Island of hope or tears by around 12 million immigrants who landed from 1892 to 1954 in the United States.After an inspection in the Ellis Island hospital most of them were accepted into the country while some unfortunate folks were sent back. In 1954, Ellis Island was closed for Immigration and in 1965 became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The Ellis Island America the Beautiful quarter has the inscriptions ELLIS ISLAND, NEW JERSEY, 2017, and E PLURIBUS UNUM.

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References

1.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effigy_Mounds_National_Monument 2.https://www.nps.gov/ozar/learn/historyculture/alley-mill.htm 3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Douglass 4.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Rogers_Clark_National_Historical_Park 5.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Rogers_Clark 6.https://www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm

This entry was posted in Silver coins on January 12, 2017 by lavanya kannan