The Yosemite National Park Quarter features a depiction of the famous rock formation El Capitan, which is located within the park. This monolith of granite rises more than 3,000 feet into the air and is an impressive site for park visitors and a challenge for climbers. The design for the coin was created by Joseph Menna and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

The US Mint offered their standard array of products for the quarter, which include 100-coin bags from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint facility or a two roll set, containing 40-coin rolls from either facility. The bags are priced at $35.95 each and the roll sets are priced at $32.95. Separately, the US Mint offers bulk bags of 200,000 quarters, but these will cost the prospective buyer $51,500 each!

Later this week, the official launch ceremony will be held at Yosemite National Park on July 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM PT. The event will take place at the Valley Visitor's Center, Yosemite Village Loop.

The United States Mint was forced to end sales of the 2008 Proof Silver Eagle early and cancel the 2009 Proof Silver Eagle as a consequence of the heavy demand for precious metals bullion coins. Under the current law authorizing the production of American Gold and Silver Eagles, the US Mint is required to produce the bullion versions of the coins in quantities sufficient to meet full public demand. Because they were not accomplishing this, they sourced all precious metals blanks to the production of bullion coins, leaving proof coins out in the cold. Unfortunately, there was no requirement to produce the collectible versions of the coins.

As it stands, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives is apparently considering an amendment to existing law, which would allow the US Mint to produce collector coins despite not being able to meet public demand. Obviously, the best solution would be to acquire more blanks, but at least the US Mint won't have their hands tied legally any longer.

If the current law can be amended, the US Mint has stated that they could produce 830,000 Proof and Uncirculated Silver Eagles before year end, assuming they get started by September.

This year's proof set includes 14 coins, this is a reduction of 4 coins from the 2009 Proof Set. The number of coins in last year's set was inflated by the four different designs released for the Bicentennial Lincoln Cents and the extra quarter released for the DC & US Territories Quarters Program.

The 2010 Proof Set will include proof versions of the following coins:

• 2010 Lincoln Cent
• 2010 Jefferson Nickel
• 2010 Roosevelt Dime
• 2010 Hot Springs National Park Quarter
• 2010 Yellowstone National Park Quarter
• 2010 Yosemite National Park Quarter
• 2010 Grand Canyon National Park Quarter
• 2010 Mount Hood National Forest Quarter
• 2010 Kennedy Half Dollar
• 2010 Millard Fillmore Presidential Dollar
• 2010 Franklin Pierce Presidential Dollar
• 2010 James Buchanan Presidential Dollar
• 2010 Native American Dollar

Among all of these coins, the one I am probably looking forward to seeing most is the new Lincoln Cent. In addition to the new reverse design, the details of the original obverse portrait have been restored. I just took a close look at my recently received satin finish 2010 Lincoln Cents from the 2010 Mint Set and can say that the restoration is a very refreshing change.

The 2010 Proof Sets are priced at $31.95, which as usual represents a price increase.

The Mint Set was offered from 1947 to 1958 as a Double Mint Set, containing two examples of each coin from circulation. From 1959 to 1964, it contained one example of each circulating coin in a flat pack. After a pause of three years during which Special Mint Sets were offered, the product resumed from 1968 to 1981. After a two year gap, the sets were once again offered from 1984 to present. Since 2005, the annual Mint Set has contained coins with a special satin finish, which differs from the regular circulation strike.

The 2010 Mint Set will include a total of 28 coins. This is made up of 14 coins each from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, comprising the Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, 5 America the Beautiful Quarters, Kennedy Half Dollar, Native American Dollar, and 4 Presidential Dollars.

This year's set is priced at $31.95. This is an increase of $4 compared to the cost of last year's set despite the fact that the number of coins included has declined. Although I think that the price increase is unjustified, ultimately I will order the set since it is one of my favorite products.

Attendees have included families vacationing at the park, residents from surrounding local area, and coin collectors willing to make the journey for the occasion. One of the draws of the ceremony is the coin exchange, where attendees can exchange currency for rolls of the new quarters at face value.

The launch ceremony for the Yosemite National Park Quarter will take place on July 29, 2010, 11:00 AM at Valley Visitor's Center, Yosemite Village Loop, Yosemite, CA.

The launch ceremony for the Grand Canyon National Park Quarter will take place on September 21, 2010, 1:00 PM at the grounds near El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon, AZ.

The ceremony for the Mount Hood National Forest Quarter will take place on November 17, 2010, 10:00 AM at the World Forest Center, 4022 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR.

There were 34.8 million coins produced at the Denver Mint and 33.6 million coins produced at the Philadelphia Mint. This makes the total production across both facilities 68.4 million. The US Mint does caution that this is a preliminary figure. If time and resources allow, the US Mint seems to be able to restart production of coins previous releases as long as it is still the current calendar year.

Interestingly, this amount comes in above the production level for the first release of the year. The Hot Springs Quarter mintage was a combined 59.6 million. This breaks the streak of continually declining quarter mintages that has been in place for more than a year.

Does this signify a change in trend or an aberration? Will Hot Springs be the low mintage coin for the series?

The first Philadelphia strike coins came in April 2010, when a scant 1.68 million were produced. At the time, it appeared that there might be a chance of coming in below the extremely low production totals experienced for the 2009 Jefferson Nickels. However, now it seems relatively certain that the low levels of the prior year will be surpassed.

Through June 30, 2010, the US Mint has now produced 76.08 million of the 2010-P Jefferson Nickels. This is already above last year's total annual production of 39.84 million.

At Denver, production has been 36.24 million so far. This entire amount was minted in June. The prior year total remains slightly higher at 46.8 million coins.

Both 2010-P and 2010-D nickels have already been reported in the channels of circulation.

Back in 2006, the bullion series debuted and the US Mint also offered a one ounce proof version of the coin. The same offerings were available in 2007. For 2008, the US Mint greatly expanded the number of collectible offerings by including collectible uncirculated versions and fractional versions of the coin. Although sales were low, these coins have now appreciated in value substantially. Last year, the Mint reverted once again to only offering the one ounce bullion and one ounce proof coin.

The 2010 Proof Gold Buffalo is offered without a household ordering limit and without an established maximum mintage level. The pricing for the coins is $1,510. This price is now nearly double the price of the 2006 Proof Gold Buffalo, which was offered at $800. The increase, of course, is attributable to the higher price of gold.

The First Spouse Gold Coin series hasn't really resonated with collectors. Some have attributed this to the subject matter, others to the high price tag. The latest coins to go on sale cost $779 for proof versions and $766 for uncirculated versions. The initial releases of the series were actualy priced at $429.95 and $410.95, but the rising cost of gold has caused pricing to be adjusted.

While it will take a strong stomach or wallet to see the series through to the end, it might pay off in the long run. After 2007, sales for First Spouse coins declined substantially, resulting in extremely low mintage levels. Historically, unpopular coins with low mintages have eventually found an audience and price appreciation after the low mintages added a new allure. Will this series prove the same, or provide the first exception?

The final production figures came in at 38,220,000 coins from the Philadelphia Mint and 38,360,00 coins from the Denver Mint. This makes for a combined circulating coin production total of 76,580,000.

Interestingly, this marks a slight increase from the production levels of the previous Millard Fillmore Dollar. This may or may not be a turning point for the series.

Since 2007, the general trend for mintages has been down. After producing 340 million George Washington Dollars, figures rapidly fell for the remaining releases that year. During 2008 and 2009, mintages continued to move generally downward, but there were a few blips upward interspersed. Will the Franklin Pierce Dollar turn out to be another blip, or the start of a longer stabilization or upturn in production?