A new coin of the realm
Glacier National Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright hands out commemorative quarters to students on Wednesday afternoon at Columbia Falls High School.
The new Glacier Park commemorative quarter shows a mountain goat with Mt. Reynolds in the background on the tail side of the coin. It is one of seven coins to be recognized this year as part of the U.S. Mint's America the Beautiful Program.
With the Columbia Falls High School jazz ensemble setting an upbeat tone for the event, several hundred people gathered Wednesday for the official launch of Glacier National Park’s commemorative quarter.
The quarter, with a tails side featuring a mountain goat with Mount Reynolds in the background, is one of seven coins to be recognized this year as part of the U.S. Mint’s America the Beautiful Program.
Park Ranger Bill Schustrom served as master of ceremonies for the afternoon event in the high school gymnasium, introducing Chas Cartwright, Glacier’s superintendent; B.B. Craig, associate director of marketing for the U.S. Mint; and Jan Metzmaker, director of the Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Cartwright remarked that a quarter doesn’t buy much these days.
“But there’s still an inherent quality about a quarter that you can’t measure in dollars and cents ... I like quarters, especially the new Glacier National Park quarters,” he said. “A quarter by itself may not be worth much, but for me, having a quarter celebrating Glacier National Park is priceless.”
After the Columbia Falls High School Sonifers sang the “Glacier Song,” Craig presented Cartwright with a framed display of the coin.
Cartwright, Craig and volunteers helped distribute free quarters to school children. Sitting at the front of the gymnasium were students from the West Glacier and Canyon elementary schools.
West Glacier Principal Cortni King said the schools attended the ceremony because they have the distinction of being closest to the park.
“We walk in the park twice a week,” she said.
Dozens of adults lined up after the ceremony to buy quarters through a coin exchange sponsored by Freedom Bank of Columbia Falls.
Marci Triplett showed up to buy quarters, partly out of patriotism and partly out of dedication to the park.
“I am just a huge Glacier Park fan. I plan to do a lot of hiking this summer,” said Triplett, who plans to share her quarters with family members. “I got 10 rolls. They’re worth some money, you know.”
Bigfork resident Stan Bones stood in line for some quarters that he plans to pass on to relatives. His wife has a die-hard commitment to Glacier, being raised by a father who was a seasonal ranger in the park for 42 years.
“That’s what got me down here,” Bones said.
Similar ceremonies are being held around the country over the next few months to recognize coins that have been minted for Gettysburg National Military Park, Mount Hood National Forest, Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Hot Springs National Park.