http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081122/GPG0101/811220605/1207/GPG01
Statehood coin series rolls to the end
Sorting through a week's worth of pocket change has been a decade-long ritual for Rick Steeber and his daughters Ariel and Libby. Their prey: new 50-state quarters.
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That tradition is ending with the U.S. Mint's release of the 50th quarter in the series — Hawaii. The Steebers, of De Pere, only need Alaska — released in August — and the new Hawaii quarter to complete their collection.
"We've been working on it since it started in 1999," Steeber said. "I come home and put the quarters in my pocket into the box that the (coin holder) map came in and once a week or so we sit down and see what we've got. If we have a new one, we put it in the board a certain way."
Ariel, now 19, misses the sessions while off at college. Libby, 15, reaps the reward of the extra quarters, Steeber said.
The 50 state quarters are far too common to be worth more than 25 cents, said Mike Schiller, owner of Allouez Rare Coin Gallery, 2221 S. Webster Ave.
The U.S. Mint pressed more than 400 million of each state coin; some state mintages surpassed 1.5 billion coins. Wisconsin's quarter, released in October 2004, has images of a cow, a cheese round and an ear of corn along with the state motto "Forward."
The Mint made 453 million Wisconsin coins.
The state quarter program has sparked a renaissance in coin collecting, Schiller said.
"In 1999, I made more money selling albums and the plastic containers for the coins than I did selling gold and silver that year," Schiller said. He still sells 40 or 50 rolls of 50 state quarters — one or two at a time — after they are issued.
"A lot of people came in and started collecting quarters and have moved on to bigger and greater things," Schiller said. "We have dozens and dozens of new customers because of it."
The program has been a success because it is a cheap way to start a collection — $12.50 for a complete set, said Roger Bohn, president of the Nicolet Coin Club.
"I think it excited a whole nation … it's educational," said Bohn, of Ashwaubenon. "Just the other day I saw a gal at the golf course with her two children there looking for quarters to put in their books."
For the Steebers, treasure sometimes came in unexpected places.
"I got my Wisconsin coins in Indiana on the way back from Florida," he said. "It's really been fun tradition … a family project."
Yep, Cee has all of them except Hawaii. The lady at the bank told me that the last quarter will be released by the end of November.
ReplyDeleteI work with someone who has been collecting them.
ReplyDeleteI'd just spend them !
Who can collect any kind of money these days?
Collecting change is easy. Cee and I do it all year long. Then we roll it and turn it in at the bank for Christmas money which is what we will be doing today. We managed to save almost $300 this year!
ReplyDeleteI save the new quarters for Dalton. It is a project of ours. My plan is to try to get a roll or two of each state quarter. I have one stipulation though I want them to be circulated so that it takes longer and we appreciate it more. Right now Dalton has more than $300 in just quarters. He loves to put it in his bank and I love to watch his face when he gets a coin in his hand to put in his bank. He loves it. We also use them for potty money. We are potty training and it is an incentive to go potty on the big boy potty.
ReplyDeleteI know they aren't worth anything but 25 cents for right now but it is worth so much more than that to see the happiness on his face and maybe one day the pride that he had a hand in making his collection. He may even pass it down. Who knows.
We do save other coins too. He has aquired quite a savings for the future.
Collecting is more than the $$ A lot of my collecting stuff is more of a sentimental thing. I know which stamps/coins/trains came from where. My dad, my grandfather, my grandpa, and I all collected those things and as they got out of the age they felt the y could, they all turned their attention on mine.
ReplyDeleteAs of right now, the collections have all reduced down to two. one my dad holds and the others I do.
I tried collecting the state quarters but quickly gave up. Now I just look for the ones that have states that mean something to me...
ReplyDeleteI think I have them all, at least my grandson should. Whenever I see one at work that i don't think I have I buy it. Sometimes I have to borrow to do it, but I usually pay it back. I'll pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.
ReplyDelete