Things To Do In SW Florida

Quarters are usually worth 25 cents. But quarters featuring the Queen of Salsa? In Miami, those are priceless.

Longtime fans and local businesses have been racing to get their hands on new quarters embossed with a portrait Celia Cruz, the iconic late salsa singer. Cruz, the first Afro-Latina on U.S. currency, was one of five historic female figures selected for the U.S. Mint’s 2024 American Women Quarters Program.

The coins were designed by Mint artist Phebe Hemphill who said she wanted them to capture Cruz’s “greatness and vitality.”

Though the coins are now in circulation this month, you’d be hard pressed finding a Miamian willing to spend these quarters at a laundromat, ventanita or gumball machine.

“These are keepers,” said Elena Santayana at Santayana Jewelry, a family-owned Miami jewelry store that specializes in Cuban-themed charms and mounting silver Cuban coin pendants. “Everybody’s talking about it. It’s exciting for our town, exciting for our culture.”

Born Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso in Cuba in 1925, Cruz became one of the most celebrated Latin singers of the 20th century, known for her booming vocals, colorful wigs, beaming smile and signature catchphrase: “¡Azúcar!” read more

By ALEX VEIGA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes ended a four-month slide in July as easing mortgage rates and a pickup in properties on the market encouraged home shoppers.

Existing home sales rose 1.3% last month from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.95 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.

Sales fell 2.5% compared with July last year and are running below last year’s pace. The latest home sales came in slightly higher than the 3.92 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 13th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 4.2% from a year earlier to $422,600. While down slightly from the all-time high set in June, last month’s median sales price was the highest on record for the month of July.

“Despite the modest gain, home sales are still sluggish,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. “But consumers are definitely seeing more choices, and affordability is improving due to lower interest rates.” read more