National Park of American Samoa
A national park on a tropical South Pacific island, engraved with a mother bat and her pup.
The National Park of American Samoa is located in American Samoa, a U.S. territory made up of islands in the South Pacific. This park, where tropical rainforest, coral reefs, and steep mountains formed by volcanoes come together, is the southernmost national park in the United States. It is a treasure trove of exotic nature, very far from the U.S. mainland.
On the reverse of the coin is a Samoan flying fox mother and her pup. The “flying fox” is a large fruit bat with a fox-like face and big wings, and the coin captures the affectionate image of a mother holding her pup.
This bat is active even during the day, eating the fruit of the tropical forest and spreading seeds, making it an important animal that helps keep the forest healthy and continuing. The scene of mother and pup together shows that the nature of this island is a home for life passed down from generation to generation.
This park was designated on October 31, 1988, and protects the tropical forests and seas, along with the unique creatures that live there. In this way, the “America the Beautiful” series holds even the distant islands of the South Pacific as part of America’s natural heritage.
Looking at the mother-and-pup bats on the coin, we come to know that the nature of the South Pacific, unfamiliar to us, is also a precious treasure that America protects.