My Life Outdoors

You may have seen the new “America the Beautiful” quarters the last time you recived change. The United States Mint has started a Quarter series featuring five unique quarter designs each year. The designs are similar to the “50 States Quarters Program” but the new coins honor national parks and national sites.

2011 America the Beautiful Quarters

The coins you may have seen were the first released. The designs honor Hot Springs, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Mount Hood. 2011 will honor Gettysburg, Glacier , Olympic, Vicksburg , and Chickasaw. Other national parks and sites are scheduled to be released over the next eleven years with a Texas national site scheduled for release in 2019. Having spent a good deal of time in our states two national parks I was excited to see which park had been chosen. I went to AmericaBeautifulQuarters.com and looked at the release schedule. What “beautiful” National Site was seclected for Texas? I know your dieing to know. Acoriding to the release schedule: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

I have never been to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (nor had I heard of it befor now). I’m sure it is a wonderful spanish mission from a significant time in our states history. But quite frankly…its not what I think of when I think “Beautiful Texas.”

Big Bend National Park Quarter. The Famous Window in the Chisos Basin. Big Bend was not selected and will not be released as a minted quarter.

 If you have spent any time in West Texas then you know about our two beautiful National Parks: Big Bend National Park and The Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Both of these parks would represent Texas well on the back of a quarter. Both parks have played a significant role in our states history. The notch at in the Gudalupe Mountains has even been described as “the most beautiful place in Texas.” Yet neither of these parks where selected. And I am just curious as to why not?

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Quarter. El Capitain. The Guadalupe Mountains were not selected and will not be released as a minted quarter.

That got me thinking. What would a Big bend or Guadalupe Mountains Quarter look like? What other sites in Texas would be worthy of honor? What if we were not limited to National Sites? Texas is blessed with a large diversity of beautiful landscapes. If you got to decide what beautiful site in Texas was selected…which would you choose? Not from Texas? Go look at your states scheduled quarter and see what you think. Is your state adiquetly represented? If not…how could you do better?

Since the Texas San Antonio Mission design hasn’t even been released yet. I took it upon myself to mock up some “beautiful” Texas Quarters. You can see my disigns above. What do you think? Wouldn’t these make some beautiful quarters?

Have you got a better site in mind? I would love to hear about it. Please comment below and tell me which National (or other) site should have been selected.