What were your immediate thoughts 11 years ago.........

DBSTrader2 · December 26, 2009 11:20PM

...........when the State Quarters first came out?

What did you think of the plan overall, the designs (and selection process) themselves, and what they'd do for both the hobby of coin collecting as well as the business of coin investing/profits?

Were you enthused or reluctant? Did you plan on collecting just enough to fill a few folders or albums, or go headfirst into accumulating more?

And how have your feelings/opinions changed over these past 11 years?

AND FINALLY..................

Now that we are about to begin the next decade+ with the National Parks series, what are your feelings as these first are introduced?

- - Dave

keets · December 26, 2009 11:54PM

i thought it was a nice idea and never dreamed that the concept would slowly take over circulating coinage the way it has, rendering everything but the Dime and Half-Dollar to some type of commemorative issue. in late 2000 i started saving all the SHQ's i received in change in by May 2001 i had saved just over $700 worth, cashed them in and financed a week long canoe trip in the Minnesota/Canadian boundry waters.

it was perhaps the most exhilirating week of my life.

RedTiger · December 27, 2009 12:16AM

It was an exciting time as so many folks started looking for the quarters. My mom started hoarding the Delaware quarters just because. After about a year, or maybe two years, the excitement died down after five years, hardly any non-collectors were still doing their sets.

It was a good thing. The quarters brought millions of people to the idea of collecting coins. I'd guess that maybe 5% of those stuck. Doesn't sound like much, but 5% of a million is 50,000. When a person considers that there are maybe 100,000 "serious" collectors in the country (ANA membership, and/or magazine subscription), maybe 500,000 not so serious collectors (proof set buyers, the majority are given as gifts, not bought by the owner), the state quarter program was a great boon to the hobby.

The Parks quarters will keep those 5% interested. The old time collectors not so much. The new collectors, again, not so much. Though the children of the first 5% might find that way in. 5% of 5% gives an estimate of 2,500 new collectors due to the new program, so the impact will be much less. One thing is that the U. S. proof sets will continue to cost a lot due to all the dollar coins and quarters.

dirtybird · December 27, 2009 12:25AM

I enjoyed collecting the State Quarters. As they were released, I would get 2 rolls from the bank. One roll I would keep intact and the other one I would pick the two best and put them in albums. I think the program was good for coin collecting but I do not plan on collecting National Park series.

DBSTrader2 · December 27, 2009 12:31AM

General follow-up question to responding Forum members: "Do you plan on following the National Parks program as closely overall & in purchases as you did the State/Territorial Quarters?"

Personally, I collected (from Banks, not the Mint) a roll of each State Quarter (with some missed in 2000) for each of my kids, and am now just trying to catch up on those few (more expensive ones, unfortunately) missed & add the last few territories. But I will NOT be doing so with the National Parks....... just too burned-out on the process & the recent distribution (or lack thereof) changes to mixing in rolls vs full rolls to the banks (or at least to all the ones I deal with...), etc. I'll continue to get singles as issued to fill holes in folders & trade, so as to keep current as a pure "collector" vs seller/trader, but that's it for me and rolls.................

Anyone else more "burned-out" than excited?

DBSTrader2 · December 27, 2009 12:48AM

Welcome, dirtybird!

Did you manage to get all the states' rolls, or miss any? I would try to get 3 rolls - - 1 for each kid & 1 to open to fill our multiple folders & maps & trade "P-for-D" with a fellow Forum member to also fill holes................ Unfortunately, back in 2000, the local Fed cashier window put a limit on rolls & then closed completely, and I missed out on a few rolls for the kids until I could locate a steady source at other banks...... have been scurrying-around recently trying to pick those up in the "aftermarket"........

- - Dave

Mercury10c · December 27, 2009 12:55AM

Do you really think that I can remember that far back?

ricko · December 27, 2009 12:59AM

The designs and selection process destroyed what might have been an interesting series. It became commercialized, too cluttered (trying to satisfy everyone) and trashy. One or two kept it simple (i.e. Texas). I am sure the trash will continue since design by committee never works. Cheers, RickO

lunytune2 · December 27, 2009 1:13AM

I did not care for the state quarters or the state park idea .. unfortunately I need to purchase them to keep my registry set updated

ProofArtworkonCircs · December 27, 2009 1:25AM

I had watched the earlier Canadian quarters struck for each province fizzle in my mind. They never showed up in circulation. Today, years later, they are easier to find in circulation than then. I was expecting our program to fizzle. But it didn't initially. Enough were made and they were readily available. I started saving 4 rolls of each. I am about ready to cut back to none. The territories are scarce in circularion and unavailable at banks. I am ready to give up. Besides, it is somewhat doubtful that I will live to see the end of the parks quarters. I would collect them if I could get them for face.

BillJones · December 27, 2009 1:37AM

I thought that State Quarters were a neat idea, but I was concerned about the fact that it might start another coin shortage. Having lived through the 1964-5 coin shortage where collectors were blamed for pulling too many items out of circulation, I was concerned that we would be in for another cycle. My concerned were made worse by the fact that the quarter is now the most important coin in the economy. Fortunately the mint system’s capacity was such that it could produce a billion coins in 10 weeks’ time which precluded any shortage problems.

Beyond that I was concerned about scams surrounding high grade coins the crazy prices some collectors might pay for them. I’ve always been concerned about ripping off new collectors early on thus souring their interest in the hobby. That too was kept to a minimum although some things like the price of the 1999 Proof sets did

TomB · December 27, 2009 1:38AM

This is an excellent question and one of the best ideas for a thread that I believe I have ever read on these boards.

At the time of initial release I was really looking forward to the series, but it wasn't too long before I pretty much ignored the coins altogether. In the mid and late 1990s I was a serious collector and seller of high grade, early WQs. During this period the coins were pretty significantly undervalued and ignored by the vast majority of collectors as well as ridiculed by most dealers. I would walk through the bourse floor and scoop up all the early, tougher dates in high grade that I could find and would be amused at how little I spent to obtain the pieces. One show yielded a rattler PCGS MS65 1936-S with terrific, lustrous, light violet toning along with an original, blast white monster of a 1939-S in a rattler PCGS MS66 holder for a combined $125. Other shows yielded no better dates simply because there were never all that many available, but I could always buy raw, MS65 or better quality early 1940 coinage for a few dollars each.

The state quarter series put the WQ series into overdrive, the prices exploded and many folks entered the niche to complete the set back to 1932. This was great for profit margin in the short term, but the coins could not always be replaced easily and could never be replaced at their previously stagnant, lower values. However, what really turned me off to the state quarters was the designs chosen. They looked like emblems for a patch rather than coinage.

mikeyg · December 27, 2009 1:48AM

I bet that the people who bought rolls P&D from tv shopping shows for 299.00 or higher are REALLY bummed out

Halfhunter06 · December 27, 2009 2:00AM

i couldnt wait..it was about time for a design change

SilverEagles92 · December 27, 2009 3:00AM

Statehood quarters really got me started in collecting. In addition to the Whitman Lincoln Cent book I was filling up, when the series took off, I also began filling up a State Quarter Map.

Within a few years, however, I had lost all interest in the quarters.

dbldie55 · December 27, 2009 3:24AM

I really looked forward to them. I still remember my dealer bringing two Delaware's back from FUN. I ended up doing a Dansco and a registry set of these. It seemed like it would take forever before my state came out. It did give me a chance to attend a "new coin" launch. Hard to believe that was almost 3 years ago now.

I will collect a set of the new ones, but they do not interest me in the same way the state quarters did.

tbarreca · December 27, 2009 3:25AM

From their initiation until today, the series, with all mintages in at least the 100s of millions, was completely uninteresting to me. And when they turned out to be generally rather ugly, it made them even easier to ignore.

I'd be perfectly thrilled if we forgot about dead presidents, their wives and extended families, and national parks and other landmarks, and went back to putting representations of Liberty on our coins.

anablep · December 27, 2009 3:45AM

I was excited to see the new designs.

I collected silver proof sets so I would have examples of each type of state quarter in silver.

After about 2003, I gave up & sold everything.

They didn't spark my interest anymore.

Now I see them in change more than the eagle reverse quarters.

Try finding one of those in nice AU condition in change anymore...

DieClash · December 27, 2009 7:53AM

I thought it was a bad idea and a "gimmick" in 1998 and I still do today. Unfortunately, the success of the SHQ gimmick has spawned even more bad ideas: Prexy dollars, First hag gold, and now another ten years' more Washington quarters with Nat'l park themes. Enough already!

I like design changes on coins. What I really would like to see is retiring all of the deadhead designs on existing coinage. The Congressional "gimmicks" of the past decade is just a distraction and a means for continuing tired old overse designs IMO, despite the ever changing reverse designs!

aficoinado · December 27, 2009 8:04AM

I went through $35+ in assorted change from cash purchases. I found Arizona, Illinois, Texas, Iowa, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, New York, North Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Louisiana, Hawaii, Mississippi, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire state quarters. That is definitely pretty cool. Mission Accomplished.

pendragon1998 · December 27, 2009 8:26AM

At the time, I was only mildly involved in the hobby. I was excited at first about the new designs, but after a few years, apathy set in. I'd gone to the trouble to find a nice example of each issue from circulation for 4 years or so, and I continued to finish out the series, mainly out of habit - but I find I don't really care about them. I've got a 1-per-state Whitman album completed now (I need a new page for the territories), but I don't plan on picking up the state parks.

My wish for modern circulating coinage:

*Drop the cent, nickel, dime, and paper dollar, in favor of limiting circulating coins to 25c, 50c, and $1 coins.
*Change the coin sizes so that 25c would be about the size of dimes, 50c the size of nickels, and $1 the size of quarters.
*Drop the dead guys and put Liberty back on those three.
*Tar and feather anyone who wants to start releasing any more 50 coin commemorative series.

IrishMike · December 27, 2009 8:32AM

11 years ago are you serious, I can't remember what I was thinking 5 minutes ago.

lathmach · December 27, 2009 8:50AM

When the Delaware Statehood Quarters first came out they didn't seem to circulate, and I wasn't able to find one.
My wife went to Israel and when she returned she had one.
She had gotten a Delaware State Quarter at the Ben Gurion airport in Israel and she had saved it for me. It was the first one I had seen. I still have it.
The changing designs were a real boost for the coin collecting hobby.

Ray

Barry · December 27, 2009 9:11AM

I thought it was nice to have some variety in pocket change, but that's all the state quarters are - pocket change.

goodmoney4badmoney · December 27, 2009 9:13AM

I was living in Denver at the time. I worked as a cashier back then and remember taking a vacation back home to Arizona for Christmas of 1998. I already had a couple Delaware quarters from our stores cash drawer (fresh rolls) to show around. Nobody had seen one yet. Not being actively involved in the hobby at the time, it didn't hit me until years later that I had some before 1999 began. Apparently someone let them out into circulation a bit early.

COALPORTER · December 27, 2009 9:26AM

Although I had/have no interest in the State Quaters program, I thought it was a good idea for the hobby - so it is a good idea. Anything that keeps the hobby alive is good and I am for it.

I think most of the designs are a low artist effort and most are ugly and some are really stupid. I agree with a previous poster that many designs had too many items crammed onto the coin.

I think the fist coin I got in change was the Conn. and thought the Charter Oak looked more like a tumble weed.

DBSTrader2 · December 27, 2009 10:09AM

A lot of the designs looked cheap to me, and of the type they used to give away at gas stations when they were really "full service" and gas was under 40 cents a gallon............ The Presidential dollars remind me of the Sunoco Car Coins they used to give away for us to put into 1-panel cardboard holders............

I agree with a lot of people who would welcome the return of "Liberty"-type obverses.................. but that's just another example of my nostalgia rearing its ugly head...........

- - Dave

cladking · December 27, 2009 10:51AM

I believe it was late '96 that this program became a fait accompli.

I was looking forward to it for a very long time before I finally saw my first one in February 1999.

The program helf few surprises for me. While no one could be sure of the actual designs it was
a safe bet that many would be the result of committee so necessarily trite in composition. If any-
thing the surprise is the number of good designs and the good executuion of even some of the
worst concepts.

I expected a lot more interest in the older clads and for it to materialize almost immediately. For
some reason the older copins still seem to attract little interest from the states collectors. I sup-
pose they are taken for granted even by the newbies to a large extent. There are literally mil-
lions collecting the older clads now so this situation can't persist indefinitely but it could still take
years before some dates are no longer available in circulation or collectors seek to upgrade. Per-
haps variety collecti9ng will expand to these new collectors and that would blow the lid off too.
Can you imagine thousands or even dozens of collectors who suddenly want a '72-D with a type
"b" reverse!!!

One of the reasons this series is so relatively quiet might be the aspect of it which I find most
surprising; the startling lack of varieties. It seemed a sure thing that with the mint having to gear
up and produce a new coin every ten weeks for ten years that there would be numerous slip-ups
and mistakes producing large numbers of varieties and errors. Instead they seem to have adapt-
ed to this grueling schedule in stride. I consider the two WI types to be the most interesting coins
in mint history but it's just the two and all were released in a small region. Yes, there are other
varieties but they are of a natrure that are largely of interest only to specialists. There are the
numerous rotated reverses and I do consider these varieties and of great interest but most col-
lectors think of them as "mere" errors. Other than this there are just a handful of spectacular er-
rors and tthe rest of the series has few stars other than the conditional rarities.

I suspect a lot of we old timers might be surprised by how well these do in the future. All of them
are common even by the standards of the 1950's but this ain't the 1950's any more and there
are tens of millions who do care about the states coins. The current low prices and seemingly end-
less supplies are just assuring that a lot of the coins are getting into circulation. A few million coins
might be a lot for something like the '50-D nickel but it's not when you know several people who are
assembling sets of these and they sell folders in the bookstores.

In some ways the program was a roaring success but in others it was something of a failure. They
should do much better at least from an artistic standpoint with the parks coins.

These will go into production in just a few days and if history is any guide they've already struck
some.

DBSTrader2 · December 27, 2009 11:29AM

I narrowly avoided having to make another trip to the Philly Mint later this week when I bought 3 "P" rolls of N. Marianas quarters at today's coin show (I save a roll for each of my kids & break the other open for swaps with another Forum member to get the "D" mints I need).

Otherwise, I would have wasted most of a day off, paid for a R/T regional rail ticket - - all just to swap about $7 in bills for loose NMI quarters - - and STILL not have any rolls to show for it..........

That's the part I really dislike about how this year's program has turned out. There's no way I'm buying any from the Mint as overpriced rolls, nor do I have any connections at the banks to get boxes - - IF they even bothered to order them in the first place...

I hear conflicting reports. The banks all tell me they can't specify what they want, nor get solid rolls of each territorial quarter (that, instead, they are mixed-in with all other quarters). Yet the man I bought the rolls from today said they can order & get each one solid, but just don't want to be bothered, as they get nothing out of it from supplying folks like me..... I have yet to find a reliable & friendly source of rolls in the Philly area............

So what's the truth here?

In the meantime, if anyone's interested or can help, I'm still looking to work out sales/swaps/purchases of the few extra "H/T" rolls I do have (Ohio-D, FLorida-P, & Virgin Islands-P) for the ones my kids are still missing (mintmark doesn't matter): MA, SC(2), NH, GA, CT, Guam(2), & American Samoa(2).

Thanks!

- - Dave

WTCG · December 27, 2009 11:45AM

In the overall sense the state quarters were a great idea. When they were first introduced it gave an otherwise tired series a fresh look with fresh designs. Perhaps the program carried on a little too long as many collectors began to experience "state quarter fatigue" about five or six years into the program. The quarters did, however, introduce countless new people of all ages into the world of numismatics. Even some of the high end collectors today started out buying and hoarding state quarters.

Although in my opinion some of the quarter designs were excellent (Nevada, Utah, Arizona) while others made ho-hum states appear interesting (New Jersey, North Dakota, Iowa) there were just too many boring and ugly designs (Louisiana - the worst offender, Wyoming - the close second place, Michigan, New Mexico and many others) that contributed and perhaps even accelerated the symptom of "state quarter fatigue".

Contrary to many of those "good 'ol days" personality types, I actually look forward to the National Park series. Whether or not they'll be able to attract another bunch of new collectors is unknown, but new issues and designs can't hurt collector interest, provided the designs aren't unattractive or mediocre.

WTCG · December 27, 2009 12:03PM

<< <i>I narrowly avoided having to make another trip to the Philly Mint later this week when I bought 3 "P" rolls of N. Marianas quarters at today's coin show (I save a roll for each of my kids & break the other open for swaps with another Forum member to get the "D" mints I need).

Otherwise, I would have wasted most of a day off, paid for a R/T regional rail ticket - - all just to swap about $7 in bills for loose NMI quarters - - and STILL not have any rolls to show for it..........

That's the part I really dislike about how this year's program has turned out. There's no way I'm buying any from the Mint as overpriced rolls, nor do I have any connections at the banks to get boxes - - IF they even bothered to order them in the first place...

I hear conflicting reports. The banks all tell me they can't specify what they want, nor get solid rolls of each territorial quarter (that, instead, they are mixed-in with all other quarters). Yet the man I bought the rolls from today said they can order & get each one solid, but just don't want to be bothered, as they get nothing out of it from supplying folks like me..... I have yet to find a reliable & friendly source of rolls in the Philly area............

So what's the truth here?

In the meantime, if anyone's interested or can help, I'm still looking to work out sales/swaps/purchases of the few extra "H/T" rolls I do have (Ohio-D, FLorida-P, & Virgin Islands-P) for the ones my kids are still missing (mintmark doesn't matter): MA, SC(2), NH, GA, CT, Guam(2), & American Samoa(2).

Thanks!

- - Dave

>>

Bank branches can order coins and currency and request specific types and denominations but do not know for certain if their requests will be aceded. Whether or not you can get specific coins from a bank really depends on your bank company and the management team of each specific branch. Not all bank branches are created equal, and it is up to you to find a bank that handles newer currency and is willing to accept requests.

Quick hint: Try the banks that handle more "white collar accounts", meaning the banks that tend to deal more with the direct deposit types. They're the banks that are more likely to order currency from the Federal Reserve. The banks that handle a lot of merchant accounts will have more cash on hand than the white collar types but the money will be well circulated.

19Lyds · December 27, 2009 12:05PM

My immediate thoughts were that this would inject a new interest in coin collecting.

Both mine and the general publics.

JL3Eleven · December 27, 2009 12:42PM

The SHQ program is the only reason I an interested in coins. Even thought my grandfather (who has a truly massive collection) gave me baggies of wheats and washies when I was young I could have cared less, and still don't. When I go and visit and ask to see his collection he shows me everything I want to see: 1889 CC's, 1909 svdbs, 1916ds, 100 sets of franklins, for the most part you name it he has it. But what still gets me is when he shows me the unopend rolls and 1999 mint sets and ask how much are these worth now? I just can't explain it, even thought the other classic coins are worth much much more my heart only races for the moderns! Maybe its the fact that one day I can have a truly great collection from submitting coins I paid face value for or knowing one day when I'm old people might see their errors in overlooking them while my collection will still be going strong. In closing I have enjoyed the ride of collecting them and being introduced into coins and the coin collecting community (You) and will continue to do so with the new series (Unless they are anything like the Presidents!).

Pease excuse spelling/grammar for I am a simple modern collector and not an English teacher!

P.S. I still like the classic designs but as far as price goes the are out of my league.

cornbread · December 27, 2009 1:18PM

I didn't start collecting coins until 2006. It was bullion, not SHQ, that got me into coins. As several others have mentioned, the designs are pretty meh. I did buy a Dansco album for the Ps for my son, though -- he started last year at age 9 and it was a good set for him to get his feet wet. Inexpensive, easily obtained, and it looks pretty good in the album.

I don't personally know of anyone who was introduced to the hobby with this series who has gone on to collect anything else. Except for my son, who is now working on a set of ASEs.

(Edited for grammar!)

DieClash · December 28, 2009 10:18AM

<< <i>I didn't start collecting coins until 2006. It was bullion, not SHQ, that got me into coins. As several others have mentioned, the designs are pretty meh. I did buy a Dansco album for the Ps for my son, though -- he started last year at age 9 and it was a good set for him to get his feet wet. Inexpensive, easily obtained, and it looks pretty good in the album.

I don't personally know of anyone who was introduced to the hobby with this series who has gone on to collect anything else. Except for my son, who is now working on a set of ASEs.

(Edited for grammar!) >>

congrats cornbread and

to your son! An ASE set is quite nice and very attainable.

A few posts back I indicated that my immediate thoughts 11 years ago....... were that the Congressman from Delaware and his ilk were perpetrating a "gimmick" on the national public with the SHQ series and the same for the Prexy $'s, First Spouse gold coins and now even perpetrating this same "gimmick" with the new Nat'L Park quarters. And I stand by my position that these are all gimmicks.

The OP didn't ask me if I collect them. I do! I cannot have a complete series of modern coins if I DO NOT collect them. I buy the satin-finish mint sets and break 'em open to insert into the album slots. I buy the proof Quarters sets and the prooof Silver quarters sets to keep my collection complete and current! Think about it

For each SHQ year you need to collect at least 20 coins per year!! (P,D-Unc; clad S-proof & silver S-proof times 5 states) to stay current! And, for the real purist you also need a P&D business strike to stay current. That's 30 quarters per year to "complete" your SHQ set and stay current with the series.! Now, with the Nat'l Parks series this bad gimmick is extended for another decade!

JMHO though. Doesn't prevent me from collecting them, but it makes keeping the series intact much more expensive. I will reiterate here that I like change in coin designs. I think the Congress has got it wrong by changing reverse designes 50 times in one decade, whilst ignoring the obverse designs. We are so way over due for some good obverse design changes AND the elimination of the deadhead obv concept designs, IMHO!

If this ain't a Congressional "gimmick" then what?????

AJ2525 · December 28, 2009 3:29PM

Hello,

I was pretty excited when I got my first Delaware Quarter. I got rolls of most of the states from the Denver mint. That has been dead money for several years but I haven't wanted to part with them yet. Some I got were nice examples and I was happy with. But like so many things apathy set in and there are several rolls I am missing.

Some designs I like. I like the Nevada quarters and ? the one with the bridge. Many were disappointing designs.

This year I got a few rolls of the D.C. to look for the double die. I just picked up a few Territory rolls from a bank because of the mintages.

To answer an earlier poster's question a few years back the armored car services started charging more to ship solid dates of any particular variety. Some banks paid the extra amount to get a solid box of a particular one. This was what a bank on Colorado Springs told me. They would get one box of each and only give out a roll or two to "good" customers. Apparently the bank I got the Territory quarters from specially ordered them.

I was very surprised how many collectors the quarters created. While it may seem many, many of these new "collectors" did not stay with the hobby, a few of them did. I think that is very important and will keep our hobby alive into the future.

I'll second the motion to stop production of the cent and the paper dollar.

illini420 · December 28, 2009 3:38PM

It was actually the start of me getting back into collecting. I pretty much quit coin collecting in the early 1990s as I got into Jr. High School and took up other more pressing interests

During college though, I heard about the State Quarters program and thought it was pretty cool and decided it would be pretty sweet to have the whole set. So I started to order each year's proof and mint sets. So until maybe 2006-07, that was the extent of my coin collecting, buying the annual sets.

Now that I'm out of school and working full time, and have more disposable income to spend on the classic coins I've always dreamed about, I rarely think about the State Quarters program other than when I buy the annual sets. Though without that program, I'm not sure I'd be as active in the hobby today.

renman95 · December 28, 2009 3:45PM

<< <i>i couldnt wait..it was about time for a design change >>

Agreed. But now it's too much. Put the NP's on the half and leave George alone, he has a lot to worry about.

What were your immediate thoughts 11 years ago.........

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