On June 4th, 2008 a new series of commemorative quarters was proposed: H.R. 6184: America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. President Bush signed the bill into law only six months later on December 8th, 2008.

Starting in 2010, The U.S. Mint will begin issuing the National Park Quarters. There will be at least 56 quarters, “emblematic of a national park or other national site in each State, The District of Columbia, and each territory of the United States.” Five quarters will be released a year with the final quarters coming out in the year 2020. In a chronological fashion, the quarters will be released in the order that the national parks and sites were first established.

The National Park Program could run for another 11 years if the Secretary of the Treasury should decide to extend the program. If the program is extended there could potentially be 112 coins total honoring our national parks and sites.