Museum plans second run of commemorative quarter set

Following the widespread success of several coins associated with the Nevada State Quarter Launch Ceremony, a second run of one of them will be offered in mid-March.

During the launch ceremony on the Capitol grounds Jan. 31, organizers sold 3,000 of the commemorative sets featuring two never-circulated Nevada quarters. The quarters, one from the Denver Mint and one from the Philadelphia Mint, were encased with a placard highlighting the date of the ceremony and a brief history of the state.

The proceeds from the sale of the sets went to benefit the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, Division of Museums and History.

"After we sold out, we had a lot of people asking for the commemorative sets and we hope to have a bigger run available by mid-March," Bob Nylen, curator of history for the Nevada State Museum, said. Sets cost $5.

The museum is also continuing to take orders for the "Spirit of the West" Medallion minted in honor of the release of the Nevada quarter.

"We are doing a run of 2,006 of the medallions and we have received just over 1,000 orders, so we are about halfway through the run," Nylen said.

The museum is packaging the .999 silver medallion with a Nevada quarter in another commemorative set.

The medallion front was designed by artist Margery Hall-Marshall and is being minted on the historic Coin Press No. 1. The museum minted more than 600 of the medallions on Jan. 31, but needs more silver before the remaining orders can be filled.

Nylen said patrons can still order the medallion sets by calling the Nevada State Museum at 687-4810. Cost for the medallion sets is $50.

Also, residents still wanting the special stamp cancellation issued by the U.S. Postal Service in honor of the launch ceremony can still have items canceled through March 2 by going to Carson City's main branch at 1111 S. Roop St. during normal business hours. The date on the cancellation will still read Jan. 31.

"We've had quite a few people come in and a lot of requests from across the county for the cancellation," said Louis Muratory, lead sales associate with the U.S. Post Office.

-- Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.