Honoring International Day of Forests with State Quarters

Where would we be without the forests of the world? It’s hard to imagine our beautiful planet without the splendor of nature’s woodlands. Towering pines, tall firs, whispering ashes, and stately oaks… They and so many other plant species tall and small help shade our world, convert carbon to oxygen, and bring beauty to our earthly home. So fitting it is then that we have International Day of Forests on March 21. It’s a time to bid due honor to all the world’s forests. The United States has some pretty fine forests of its own, too.

According to the United States Forest Service, around a third of the nation’s land is forested. Many of these forests are depicted on United States coins, with the 50 State Quarters (1999-2008) and America the Beautiful Quarters (2010-2021) boasting dozens of designs that incorporate trees, shrubs, or other plant species. It’s fitting that a nation so in love with its natural spaces has issued such a wide variety of coins honoring its greenery.

Who can deny the glory of the 2005 Minnesota or 2007 Washington Quarters and their stands of evergreens? What collector could resist the majesty of the 2011 Glacier National Park Quarter or the beauty of the 2014 Shenandoah National Park Quarter? And these are just a few of the many quarters whose canvases are adorned with the many native trees and virgin woodlands that call the United States home.

So, what’s a collector to do with these coins? Certainly, they can include them in PCGS Registry Sets of 50 State Quarters and America the Beautiful Quarters. But here’s another idea, perhaps one of the more philanthropic bent… If you have a bunch of spare, circulated examples of these forest-friendly quarters sitting around at home or in the office, why not make a concerted effort to spend these particular quarters on International Day of Forests to help spread the word about this wonderful national holiday while also promoting your love of numismatics?