The United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 (Pub. L.104–1776 (text)(PDF)) authorized the production of a commemorative silver dollar to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, the nation's first. The act allowed the coins to be struck in both proof and uncirculated finishes.[2] The coins were first released on July 16, 1999.
Design
The obverse of the Yellowstone National Park commemorative dollar, designed by Edgar Z. Steever, IV, depicts a spouting geyser with the park's tree-lined landscape in the background. The reverse, designed by William C. Cousins, is adapted from the seal of the U.S. Department of Interior and shows an American Buffalo on the plains with a sun rising above the mountains in the background.[3]
