For a mere 25 cents, the nation will know in a couple of years that Wyoming is home to the world's first national park.

Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, will grace the first of 50 quarters in a new series of the coins, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said Wednesday.

Beginning in 2010, the U.S. Treasury will issue a coin commemorating a national park or site for each state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, according to the "America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008" sponsored by Barrasso in the Senate and Rep. Michael Castle, R-Del., in the House.

The bill is making its way through Congress, Barrasso said.

The quarter will be modeled after the successful 50 State Quarter Program, which has netted the Treasury Department more than $3.5 billion in extra revenue, according to a news release from Barrasso's office.

Those quarters were issued according the order of each state's admission to the Union, with Delaware first and Wyoming 44th, he said.

This time, we're No. 1.

"As the nation's first national park, it is only fitting that Yellowstone, as a part of Wyoming's unique heritage, is commemorated on the first quarter," Barrasso said. "I believe these coins will increase awareness and promote efforts to preserve America's national treasures for generations to come."

Just as the current series of quarters has fostered learning about the states, Barrasso hopes the new series will do the same about the parks, he said.

Barrasso intends to make a formal announcement today, the 118th anniversary of Wyoming's statehood, he said.

Each state will need to select which national park and the image to represent it, Barrasso said.

That might have posed a problem with Yellowstone, because its boundaries extend into Montana and Idaho.

Barrasso took care of that problem with the Senate version of the bill - S. 3214 - specifically stating Yellowstone National Park will appear on the first quarter issued, and will be "designated to the state of Wyoming."

Yellowstone National Park spokesman Al Nash had heard of the idea from the media, but not internally within the National Park Service.

Regardless, Nash welcomed the proposal.

"Being the world's first national park, it would only fitting to be on the first coin of its type," Nash said.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0616, or at Tom.Morton@trib.com.