Contact: By: Cape Gazette

Delaware | September 22, 2009 - The U.S. Mint recently announced the sites to be honored as part of Delaware Congressman Mike Castle’s America the Beautiful Quarters Program. Castle proposed the series as a follow-up to his widely successful 50 State Quarters Program.

The coins will highlight 56 national treasures, including national parks, forests and wildlife refuges - one for each state and territory in the United States.

“The 50 State Quarters Program has been extremely valuable for coin enthusiasts, students and teachers, while making money. It surprises many to learn that the 50 State Quarters Program will net over $2.7 billion in federal revenues,” said Castle. “I am hopeful that the America the Beautiful series will spur similar interest and generate tourism for many of our country’s most treasured sites. Bombay Hook serves the great purpose of protecting our wildlife and natural habitat and is a worthy representation for Delaware’s quarter.”

The U.S. Mint and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, in consultation with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazaar, selected Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge to be Delaware’s quarter, to be released in 2015.

Castle introduced the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. Congress passed it, and it was signed into law in 2008. The mint will begin striking these coins in 2010, releasing five a year, until all have been released in 2021.

For a complete listing of sites to be honored, as well as ordering information, go to usmint.gov/mint_programs/NSQuartersProgram.