WASHINGTON - The United States Mint announced today that the limited-edition U.S. Virgin Islands Official First Day Coin Cover will be available online at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog beginning at noon Eastern Time (ET) on November 10, 2009.  The agency will offer for sale only 20,000 units.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Official First Day Coin Cover contains two U.S. Virgin Islands commemorative quarter-dollar coins-one each from the United States Mint facilities at Philadelphia and Denver.  The quarters are mounted on a handsome display card in an envelope with a 44-cent United States Flag postage stamp.  The postmark, September 28, 2009, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI, marks the day U.S. Virgin Islands quarters were first released to the Federal Reserve Bank and to the public. 

The reverse (tails side) of the U.S. Virgin Islands commemorative quarter-dollar features an outline of the three major islands.  The design also includes the Yellow Breast or Bananaquit, the official bird of the U.S. Virgin Islands; the Yellow Cedar or Yellow Elder, its official flower; and a Tyre Palm Tree.  Inscriptions on the reverse of the quarter are U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS and United in Pride and Hope, the official motto of the territory.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Official First Day Coin Cover is priced at $14.95 per unit.  Customers may place orders at http://www.usmint.gov/catalog or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).  Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may place their orders at 1-888-321-MINT (6468).  A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 will be added to all domestic orders.

The United States Mint, created by Congress in 1792, is the Nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage.  Its primary mission is to produce an adequate volume of circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce.  The United States Mint also produces proof, uncirculated and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver, gold and platinum bullion coins.

Note:  To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, orders placed prior to the official on-sale date and time of November 10, 2009, noon ET, shall not be deemed accepted by the United States Mint and will not be honored.  For more information, please review the United States Mint's Frequently Asked Questions, Answer ID #175.