Fifty State Quarter Program Continues To Lose Popularity

JGold

"The economic slowdown has hit clothing, car sales, trips to the mall and nights on the town. So why wouldn't the superstar of U.S. coins be effected: the once wildly popular state quarter?

Yep, we're not flipping out over collectible change like we used to.

In 2000, the U.S. Mint made more than a billion of each of the five state quarters issued that year. And the latest 2003 issue, the Maine quarter? A mere 449 million were struck.

It's another sign of the slowdown in commerce -- and the fact that some folks are no longer hoarding Delaware quarters and other state treasures like they did in the good old days." -DFP

For daily news coverage on the U.S. State Quarter Program, numismatics and coin collecting visit Coin Today online at http://www.CoinToday.com , the most comprehensive daily numismatic news portal and resource center on the internet today.

coachleonard

My interest just got a jolt the other day-- a stationary store, out of ten dollar bills, gave me a roll of quarters in change instead. Turned out to be a roll of brand new Maine Denver-Mint quarters. I've never
gotten a roll of new state quarters ever. And though I know state quarters aren't really investment pieces, I can't bring myself to part with or split up this new roll I got at face value. Besides, I really like the design on this one.

keets

hey JGold

i'd have to say that the statement which alludes to the state quarter program losing popularity isn't accurate or related to the decrease in production of the series. after all, the quarter isn't produced for collecting, it's produced for commerce and the design was adopted to increase collecting interest and generate income at the Mint. the economic slowdown may not even be at the heart of the reduced production, rather just the simple fact that so many quarters are already in circulation that not as many need to be minted.

from what i see folks still collect the next state as it's issued. perhaps checking sales of mint sets and quarter sets could give a better view.

al h.

wondercoin

"In 2000, the U.S. Mint made more than a billion of each of the five state quarters issued that year. And the latest 2003 issue, the Maine quarter? A mere 449 million were struck. "

JGold, but in 2002, the Mint struck only 300 million of an Ohio quarter. If they thought popularity was dissapating, why would they produce 50% more 2003 Maine quarters?

I agree with Keets that a better barometer might be mint sets sales, for example.

Wondercoin

newsman

State quarter mintages have dropped for the same two reasons mintages of all other coins have dropped: the recession has lowered demand for circulating coins and the Federal Reserve has all it needs on-hand after record production in 2000 and 2001. The Mint doesn't make coins to meet collector demand -- they make coins to meet what the Federal Reserve says the economy needs, and the Fed doesn't care what design, date or mintmark is on the coins.

I think a better way to tell the popularity of the state quarters would be in collector sales and prices on the secondary market. I spoke to the Mint director recently for a story I was writing and she told me their sales of coin sets are way up this year over last year's.

If I had to guess, I would guess that the state quarter program is growing in popularity and will likely grow more as more populous states such as Michigan and Texas are added. So if you've got a truckload of Delaware quarters hidden away somewhere, take heart -- in 1,000 years or so, you'll be rich!

Conder101

<< <i>in 2002, the Mint struck only 300 million of an Ohio quarter. If they thought popularity was dissapating, why would they produce 50% more 2003 Maine quarters? >>


Simple, they didn't.


The 217 million Ohio quarters was Philadelphia only (rounded figures), the 449 million Maine is Philly and Denver combined. The combined total for Ohio was 632 million. The Ohio P is still the lowest mintage, but only by 200,000 coins. And The Philly mint was closed for six weeks of the ten week Ohio production, not so for the Maine production.

Geoman

I like to collect the state quarters. What I am doing is getting one new, uncirculated H/T bankwrapped roll for each state and mint. I do not think they will be worth much more in the future. But am hoping my kids will think it is a neat item 50 years from now when they inherit them.

Plus, I never pay more than face value for a roll. I just get them al my local bank. So, I will NEVER lose money on them, as I can always turn them in at face value, or what I paid for them.

sumnom

They will become more popular if the designs get better. The Maine design was quite nice. Let us hope it is an indicator of future aesthetic improvement.

barberlover

The program should pick up in 2005 when the Minnesota quarter comes out. Les

Merc

I had a dealer try to sell me rolls of state quarters. He was telling me they were great investments now and would be going up in price soon. He thought there will be a returned demand for them as people complete sets. I told they were common as dirt! The mint sells them by the roll, by the bag and in uncirculated sets. Plus I can go to the bank and get quarter rolls. This lesson was learned in the 1960's when roll collecting was big. If you can get it by the roll, it is not rare.