AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL 5 OZ SILVER ARCHES NATL PARK
Overview
The 2014, America The Beautiful Silver Arches National Park bullion coin was the third release of the 2014 America The Beautiful (ATB) Program. Arches National Park is a popular destination for hikers, campers, and explorers alike, and is commemorated in this ATB Silver bullion coin. It is the twenty-third strike released in the program, which began in 2010, and is set to end in 2021. There has been talk of extending the ATB Silver bullion series, as the demand and popularity for these bullion coins have increased since its release.
United States Mint
The America The Beautiful 5 oz. Silver Arches National Park coin is an official bullion coin of the United States Government, and is therefore guaranteed by the U.S. Government for the coin’s purity and weight. The America The Beautiful 5 oz. silver bullion series is the first of its kind in U.S. Mint history. Up until the release of ATB 5 oz. silver bullion coins in 2010, the United States Mint had only been producing the world renowned Silver Eagles in terms of a silver bullion offering.
The coin’s unique and large 3 inch diameter proved to be a challenge at the beginning stages of production, delaying the initial release date for the series to 2010. The United States Mint ordered a coining press from a German firm to better handle the coins’ specifications and requirements, and in 2010, America The Beautiful Silver bullion coins became the mint’s largest silver coins, with 5 ounces of .999 fine silver, and a very low face value of $0.25 (the intrinsic value is much higher).
Arches National Park
The history of what is known today as Arches National Park dates back to prehistoric times. It is believed that hunters and gatherers migrated to the area approximately 10,000 years ago. Debris piles of microcrystalline quarts, which were made into stone tools such as knifes and scrapers, were left behind from these early settlers and are still visible today to the naked eye. Approximately 2000 years ago, the Four Corners region was settled by nomadic hunters and gatherers, which are now known as ancestral Puebloans. Only a few dwellings have been found in the Arches region, which is the northern edge of ancestral Puebloan territory. Rock art panels from this ancient time still remain. Descendants of the ancestral Puebloans now live in places near the region such as Acoma, Santa, Clara, and Cochiti, to name a few.
Finally in the 1920s, the beauty of this area began gaining more popularity, and a push was made to preserve it for future generations. Three people played a significant role in bringing awareness to the area: Loren "Bish" Taylor, who took over the Moab newspaper back in 1911, John "Doc" Williams, Moab's first doctor, and prospector Alexander Ringhoffer, who is responsible for leading railroad executives on hikes to the formations. After government research teams were sent out to investigate the area and gather evidence, presidential proclamation No. 1875 was signed by President Herbert Hoover in April 12, 1929. For the purposes of establishing Arches National Monument, this proclamation reserved 1,920 acres in the Windows and 2,600 acres in Devils Garden. The boundaries of the park have been extended several times since then by United States Presidents. Finally, in 1971, the United States Congress changed the status to Arches National Park. This National Park now consists of 119 square miles of land, and is visited by roughly 800,000 visitors every year. There are approximately 2,000 sandstone arches in the park. Erosion plays a role in the changing land scape of this area, with some 40 arches toppling over since 1970. All in all, the park is truly a magnificent sight to see.
Design
Like all the other Silver bullion coins in the America The Beautiful series, finalizing the design for the America The Beautiful 5 oz. Silver Arches National Park 2014 release was an involved process. given the historical and national significance of these coins, it is no surprise that the design process was such an intense one. Ultimately the final design was selected by the United States Treasury Secretary and was unveiled in early 2014, prior to the first strike.
The reverse design of the 2014 America The Beautiful Sliver Arches National Park bullion coin features Donna Weaver's depiction of the 65-foot freestanding Delicate Arch, with the majestic La Sal Mountains soaring nearly a mile above sea level in the back ground. This design not only captures the essence of Arches National Park, but of Utah itself, with its massive sand stone monolith, carved by time and wind. The reverse is engraved by Charles L. Vickers with the inscriptions “ARCHES, UTAH,” “2014,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” which translates from Latin to “Out of many, one.”
Keeping style with the America The Beautiful Silver quarter-dollar series, the obverse features John Flanagan’s 1932 portrayal of George Washington. The obverse is engraved with the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER,” “LIBERTY,” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
Size
The ATB 5 oz. Silver Arches National Park bullion coin is struck with five ounces of .999 fine silver (99.9% silver) and has a diameter of 3 inches. Investors and collectors can rest assure they are getting the highest purity with little to no alloys or filler metals. The weight and fineness is inscribed on the edge of this bullion coin.
Value
America The Beautiful 5 oz. bullion coins are minted in lower figures compared to the Silver Eagles, which are a preferred choice among investors worldwide due to their longstanding history. The already low mintages are then split into five different coins for the year, creating even lower mintage figures. The low mintage figures have added premiums, in some cases higher than their intrinsic values. However, the ATB Silver 5 oz. bullion series has been gaining popularity among investors as their premium value sometimes outweighs any decline in the silver’s price.
You can calculate the approximate value by multiplying the current price per ounce of silver by five. However, the national value and collectability of this coin also play a role in its overall value.
The ATB 5 oz. Silver Arches National Park bullion coin is IRA approved and is a great way to diversify a precious metals portfolio. Investing in precious metals has proven to withstand the test of time surviving economic collapses for millennia.
