Yosemite Silver Uncirculated Coins

The 2010 Yosemite National Park Silver Uncirculated Coins were struck with a reverse design emblematic of the honored park which is located in the state of California.

Yosemite Silver Uncirculated Coins

Each of these Yosemite Silver Uncirculated Coins are similar in design and specifications to the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coin™ Program releases (see the Yosemite bullion coins), and are also struck from five ounces of .999 fine silver like those bullion coins.

Making the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Uncirculated Coins different, however, is the fact that each is produced to uncirculated quality and that each contains a ‘P’ mintmark. Coinage produced to this quality typically have a more intricate level of detail than is found on a standard bullion coins. The ‘P’ mintmark indicates it was struck at the US Mint’s facility in Philadelphia whereas bullion versions contain no mintmark despite having also been minted in Philadelphia.

The United States Mint will produce five America the Beautiful Five Ounce Uncirculated Coins annually until the program is complete in 2021. Typically, they would also be released in the year in which they are produced, but the inaugural year for these strikes is an exception. The Mint faced earlier difficulties in manufacturing the five ounce pieces which led to their release being pushed back to 2011.

Finally, on June 9, 2011, the United States Mint released these coins for sale to the public for $279.95 a piece. The coins took significantly longer than its two predecessors to sell out, but the entire mintage of 27,000 strikes was declared gone on July 25, 2011.

2010 Yosemite Silver Coin Values

Almost all American coinage has a certain level of numismatic value unless they are so common or their condition is so poor that they do not warrant any interest from collectors. The Yosemite uncirculated coins will not be an exception. Undoubtedly, collectors will be immensely interested in them for years to come if the initial demand shown for the strikes is any indicator.

Uncirculated coins which have been sent in to a third party grading service will attain the best values. This is especially true for those that have been graded closest to mint state.

However, even if they were to receive absolutely no collector interest, they will always have an intrinsic value that is equivalent to the melt value of the five ounces of silver each contains. So, if silver is currently trading at $30 an ounce, each would have an approximate melt value of $150.

Yosemite Silver Uncirculated Coins Information

The uncirculated coins feature Yosemite National Park on the reverse with an emblematic design. The national park located in California was first granted a slice of federal protection by President Abraham Lincoln when he signed the Yosemite Grant on June 30, 1864.

The United States Mint sold the coins directly to the public upon their release. In comparison, the similar bullion coins are sold through the Mint’s network of authorized purchasers.

As previously stated, the strikes had a maximum mintage of only 27,000. This should result in the coin’s numismatic value holding well in the years that follow their release. (See current year silver coins sales figures for the most recent information on sales of current issues.)

John Flanagan designed the portrait of George Washington, first President of the United States, that is featured on the obverse of all of the America the Beautiful Coins. This includes this series of America the Beautiful Silver Uncirculated Coins, the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins and the circulating America the Beautiful Quarters. In fact, the same portrait was first used on the quarter dollars in 1932 and has been featured on the twenty-five cent piece ever since (in one form or another).

The reverse of the strikes shows Yosemite National Park’s massive granite monolith known as El Capitan. It was designed by Joseph Menna and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill.

Yosemite Silver Coin Specifications