Numismatic

2017-S ATB Quarter Effigy Mounds National Monument BU

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This 2017 quarter from the San Francisco Mint highlights a remarkable ancient landscape in Iowa. The reverse side of the coin presents an overhead perspective of the Marching Bear Group, a series of earthen mounds constructed by early inhabitants. Created between 1,000 to 2,000 years ago, these earthworks served various functions, including sacred burials, tribal ceremonies, and visual storytelling. The national monument, which was established in 1949, preserves more than 200 of these prehistoric mounds, including over 30 formed in the likenesses of birds and other animals on bluffs that overlook the junction of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. The front of the coin displays the classic portrait of George Washington, a design first created by John Flanagan. Surrounding the president's likeness are the traditional inscriptions denoting the nation, the coin's denomination, and the core national mottos. On the reverse, the design is framed by the location, the year of issue, and the Latin phrase signifying unity.