The United States Mint released the Northern Mariana Islands Official First Day Coin Cover for sale on January 12th of this year. This cover set is the sixth and final to be issued under the 2009 District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program.
Included in the cover set are two of the Northern Mariana Islands Quarter-Dollars, one struck at the US Mint's facility in Philadelphia and one from its facility in Denver. Limited to a production of only 20,000, the coins of the set are mounted on a display card that includes a cancelled 44-cent Flag stamp. The cancellation on the stamp (November 30, 2009, SAIPAN, CNMI) signifies the day the Northern Mariana Islands coins were first released into circulation by the Federal Reserve Bank.
The coins reverse designs are meant to signify the Islands wealth of land, air and sea natural resources. As such, an ancient indigenous Chamorro structure known as a limestone latte is seen on the shore showing their ties to the land. On the beach, a canoe signifies the Carolinians strong ties to the sea where they were known for their long-distance travels. Also shown are two fairy tern birds and a Carolinian mwar (head lei).
This set follows ones honoring Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands and places an end to the series which was itself a follow-up to the highly successful State Quarters Program. In 2010, a new series will be started that is known as the America the Beautiful Quarters Program which highlights one site of national interest located in each state, Washington D.C. and the US Territories.
The Northern Mariana Islands First Day Coin Covers may be purchased directly from the US Mint for $14.95 each plus a shipping and handling fee. To find out more about the coins themselves, click on the image above.
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