2015-S North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway National Park Quarter GEM PROOF America the Beautiful

The Blue Ridge Parkway, located in North Carolina and Virginia, is the longest linear park in the United States. The parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs through 2 states and 29 different counties, mostly along Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain in the Appalachian Mountains. Construction of the parkway began in 1935 and was not completed until 52 years later, in 1987. The parkway is not a “National Park”, but is under the control of the National Park Service. The parkway has been the most visited unit of the National Park System every year since 1950.

From 2010 through 2021 the US Mint is issuing commemorative quarters with special reverse designs celebrating National Parks and other National Sites. A park or site is being honored in each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the five US Territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands. Each National Park or National Site was selected for its natural or historical significance. The National Park Quarters are being minted and issued at the rate of 5 designs a year, in approximately ten week intervals. The National Park Quarters are being released in the order that the locations were first designated as National Sites. The Obverse side of the coins feature a smaller restoration of the original Washington Quarter portrait, modeled from designer John Flanagan's 1932 plaster. The Reverse of each coin will feature a representation of the unique character and environment of each State, District, or Territory's National Park or Historic Site.

Circulation strikes will be made at the Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) Mints (starting in 2012 circulation strikes were also minted at the San Francisco (S) Mint). The San Francisco (S) mint will strike the Proofs in clad composition and silver. Clad composition strikes contain an outer layer of 75% copper and 25% nickel bonded to an inner core of pure copper with a 24.33 mm diameter, 5.67 grams weight, and a reeded edge. The silver strikes will contain 90% silver and 10% copper with a 24.33 mm diameter, 6.25 grams weight, and a reeded edge.