Release of the 2020-W American Samoa quarter dollar occurred earlier than U.S. Mint officials had previously indicated. The U.S. Mint unexpectedly announced April 3 that the 2020-W National Park of American Samoa quarter dollars were to be released into circulation April 6, along with the 2020-W Weir Farm National Historic Site quarter dollars.

Previously, U.S. Mint officials had indicated that only the Weir Farm coins would be in the April 6 release.

Earlier this year, Mint officials said that the 2020-W American Samoa quarter dollar would not be released until late in the year.

According to the Mint’s April 3 Note to Editors, “The Mint will be releasing the first two 2020 ‘W’ America the Beautiful Quarters, honoring the National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa) and the Weir Farm National Historic Site (Connecticut), on April 6.

“The coins will likely begin to appear in circulation within four to six weeks after the release date. ...

“Two million each the first two 2020 ‘W’ America the Beautiful Quarters will be placed into circulation mixed among ‘P’ and ‘D’ mint mark quarters, with one million of each sent into circulation from the Mint facilities at Philadelphia and Denver. No ‘W’ quarters will be mixed into bulk bags that are sold to coin dealers under the Mint’s bulk purchase program.”

The 2020-W American Samoa coins likely would have been released Feb. 3 along with Denver Mint and Philadelphia Mint coins, but U.S. Mint officials did not have approval to add the V75 privy mark to the coins' common George Washington obverse. The privy mark celebrates this year's 75th anniversary of the end of American military combat involvement in World War II.

The raised V for Victory and 75 for the anniversary are positioned within a recessed cartouche that mimics the shape of the reflecting pool that is part of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The West Point Mint is striking 2 million of each of the 2020 America the Beautiful quarter dollars for release into circulation through the Federal Reserve randomly mixed in shipments of Denver and Philadelphia Mint coins in circulation quality. The mixed coins are delivered to armored carriers contracted by the Federal Reserve, for distribution as charted here.

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