2020 Salt River Bay National Park Quarter P Mint

2020 America the Beautiful Quarters® Program – Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve Rolls and Bags sold by United States mint

The Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve quarter is the third in 2020 and 53rd overall in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.

Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve is a living museum on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Salt River Bay possesses an archeological and historical heritage more than 2,000 years old that exists within a dynamic ecosystem supporting threatened and endangered species. In 1992, Congress created Salt River Bay as part of the National Park System to preserve, protect, and tell the story of its rich natural and cultural heritage.

The site’s blend of sea and land holds some of the largest remaining mangrove forests in the Virgin Islands. In addition to the mangroves, the other vitally important ecosystems within the preserve are an estuary, coral reefs, flora, and a submarine canyon. The water acreage of the park, which makes up the majority of its 1,015 total acres, is home to 27 species listed as rare, threatened, or endangered.

This design depicts a red mangrove tree in an early stage of its life cycle, as it evolves from a very small plant to an adult tree. The design brings awareness to the park’s endangered mangrove forests and the unique and delicate nature of how the species reproduces in salt water. Inscriptions are “SALT RIVER BAY,” “U. S. VIRGIN ISLANDS,” “2020,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”