Us State Quarters

The state quarters are being released into circulation in several batches, with the earliest states to join the Union being released first. Each year - over a 10-year period - 5 state quarters are minted and released. These are commemorative quarters, one representing each state with a design on the tail to signify a distinct feature of the particular state. The head of the quarters still feature George Washington, though there have been some changes made to the original quarter's design. The date can now be found on the back of the coin, while the front reads "Quarter Dollar." "United Sates of America" has also been moved to the head side of the coin.

The state quarters have become very popular, and represent one of the most popular coin collecting programs to come along in many years. Young and old alike are joining the fun, and it's a great way to get started in coin collecting.

You can get uncirculated coins from a bank, or buy the collection to date from any number of online coin dealers, but that takes the fun out of it for most people. Start your collection by simply sifting through all of the change you come across. It's exciting to find one you don't have yet, and you'll be surprised how quickly you can build your collection.

Map boards are a good way to display your collection and track what you have and what you need to get to complete your collection. These are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most retail chain stores. You can find a wide variety of these maps and albums at online coin suppliers too. This is a fun and exciting way to get the whole family involved in the collection.

The first state quarters were released into circulation in 1998 and included Nevada, Nebraska, North Dakota, Colorado and South Dakota. Then, in 1999, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut were added. The year 2000 saw Massachusetts, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia and New Hampshire added, and in 2001, New York, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Vermont and Kentucky joined the club.

More coins joined the program in 2002, including Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Illinois, Alabama, Missouri, Maine and Arkansas came next, in 2003. 2004 saw Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa and Wisconsin, followed by California, West Virginia, Minnesota, Oregon and Kansas in 2005.

Quarters will continue to join the program throughout 2006, 2007 and 2008, making this an ongoing collection that the whole family can enjoy.

Each of the quarters is a unique design, made to represent that particular state. For example, the North Dakota quarter features a beautiful design of bison grazing on the Northern Plains. Nebraska's striking design includes a covered wagon making its way across the country, passing by Chimney Rock on the Oregon Trail. The coins offer collectors a glimpse into the history of the United States, as well as specific information about each state's role in that history.

Potential designs for each state's coin were solicited from the public. Artists submit their designs according to the guidelines provided by the United States Mint, and a small selection of proposed designed are sent to the United States Mint for final selection and approval.

You may wish to collect a single set of these quarters or a double set, one complete set from each of the mints. Once you have a complete collection on display you can work on collecting other commemorative additions of coins, many of which are based upon important US figure and presidents.

For more information on this popular coin collection program, visit the website of the United States Mint at www.usmint.gov and click on the Coins and Medals link. You'll find information on several programs including the State Quarters collection.