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U.S. Mint to debut Kisatchie National Forest commemorative quarter in Alexandria

U.S. Mint

Pay attention to the quarters in your pocket. You may find a new one that is a tribute to the Kisatche National Forest.

Credit U.S. Mint

The U.S. Mint officially releases its next quarter April 22 in Alexandria as part of its America the Beautiful Quarters Program. It’s the 27th coin to be released as part of this program that began in 2010 honoring national sites in all 50 states.

Kisatchie National Forest public affairs officer Jim Caldwell says the tail’s side design features a wild turkey in flight over blue stem grass with long leaf pine in the backdrop.

“People will be getting them from the bank. They’ll be getting them in change, and they’ll have them in their pockets. Turkey season just started. My new motto is: A turkey in every pot, a quarter in every pocket. What could be better than that?” Caldwell said.

At the ceremony’s coin exchange, Red River Bank will exchange $50,000 of uncirculated quarter rolls, according to Caldwell.

The U.S. Mint’s B.B. Craig says about 394 million Kisatchie coins will be produced. The Kisatchie quarter hits home for Craig, who is an associate director for health, safety and environment at the Mint. While serving in the U.S. Army, the Shreveport native was stationed at Fort Polk and saw wild turkeys up close.

“To see it to come to life on a coin, I think that’s phenomenal. This is for perpetuity. People who collect coins have coins that are hundreds of years old,” Craig said, from his Washington, D.C. office.

U.S. Mint official B.B. Craig, a native of Shreveport and LSU Shreveport alumnus, is thrilled to return to his home state to launch this new quarter.
U.S. Mint official B.B. Craig, a native of Shreveport and LSU Shreveport alumnus, is thrilled to return to his home state to launch this new quarter.

A new quarter design takes years to get to your pocket. The treasury secretary signs off on a design. Craig says former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner approved the Kisatchie quarter.

The quarter launch and coin exchange event begins at 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 22, at the Alexandria Riverfront Center. Attendees 18 and younger receive a Kisatchie quarter in a commemorative case.

Craig will host a coin Q-and-A forum Tuesday, April 21, from 6 – 7 p.m. at the Kent Plantation House in Alexandria.

Follow the event on Twitter #KisatchieQTR.

Copyright 2021 Red River Radio. To see more, visit Red River Radio.

Chuck Smith
Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' experience to Red River Radio having started out as a radio news reporter and moving into television journalism as a newsmagazine producer / host, talk-show moderator, programming director and managing producer and news director / anchor for commercial, public broadcasting and educational television. He has more recently worked in advertising, marketing and public relations as a writer, video producer and media consultant. In pursuit of higher learning, Chuck studied Mass Communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.

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