Coins - Botanic Garden Coin and Currency Set Booklet

For the Botanic Garden Coin and Currency Set Booklet, the US Mint used the green marbling, the muted reds for the roses and the background creams in the same design as they used on the outer sleeve. In the central green marbled box, the Booklet in the Coin and Currency Set was titled "A Living Memorial to Our Founding Fathers: The United States Botanic Garden."   

After opening the booklet, the reader sees more of the botanical artistry and text on a cream background.

The first two pages of the coin and currency set booklet include a message from the Executive Director of the United States Botanic Garden. He begins by describing his amazement about the origin of this national treasure and comments, "...the garden was built during a time when imagination and raw materials were the only tools."  

His message describing the changes planned for the United States Botanic Garden continues to the opposite page with an aerial drawing of the improvements. He further explains how the Botanic Garden Commemorative Silver Dollar coin and this coin and currency set will help fund the new plans.

The following pages in the coin and currency set booklet describe the efforts by our Founding Fathers who set the stage for the nation's garden.  

George Washington enjoyed agriculture on a larger scale on his plantation, but his true enjoyment came from his "little garden" at Mount Vernon that he tended himself. He treasured and personally cared for the roots, seedlings, seeds and nuts that came to him from many sources. His botanical interests along with his "little garden" gave him the idea for a national display of plants.  

The initial idea began with Washington but continued with Thomas Jefferson. He, like Washington before him, had a keen interest in botany and a desire to share his findings with many people. The contributions of both men are recognized with the coin and currency set via the nickel coin for Jefferson and the dollar currency for Washington.

Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison continued to push for a national garden during their presidencies. 

Similar to Washington and Jefferson's homes, a beautiful landscape surrounded the home of James Madison.

Finally, the national tribute to plants was formally approved via legislation signed by President James Monroe on May 8, 1820. 

The next pages in the coin and currency set's booklet tell of the garden's early days. 

In 1838, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, funded by the federal government, took six ships and 440 men around the world. After their four-year, 87,000 mile journey, Wilkes and his men returned with "over 10,000 plant specimens and seeds and over 250 living plants." 

Lieutenant Wilkes and his team not only gained legendary status, their efforts spurred others to help build the national botanical treasure with both money and plants.  

In 1931, the foundation began for what is the current conservatory.

The Garden's French Facade  entrance shown in the booklet is the also on the Botanic Garden Commemorative Silver Dollar coin's obverse. 

The booklet ends with credits for the photography and botanical artistry used throughout. 

The back of the booklet shows the full blown rose in all its botanical glory. 

The Botanic Garden Coin and Currency Set provides a beautiful Botanic Garden commemorative silver dollar coin highlighting the national treasure along with the nickel coin recognizing Jefferson's contributions and the dollar currency honoring Washington's original idea.