| It took the 50 States quarters program, | | | | influence they enjoyed in the hobby at that |
| introduced in 1999, to breathe new life into | | | | time. This drop in importance reflected a |
| the coin collecting hobby. Millions of | | | | growing knowledge that coins that could be |
| American people began once again to check | | | | purchased in roll or bag quantities were not |
| their pocket change looking for tougher dates | | | | likely to become scarce or desirable to |
| and a prolific number of error coins. | | | | serious coin collectors. The coin collecting |
| Regardless of where you live, in good times | | | | emphasis began to shift to single coins with |
| and bad, using coins as a means of making a | | | | low mintages and superior quality. |
| profit has been a key factor in many people | | | | |
| being involved in the hobby. It is exciting | | | | The ending of silver minted coins in the |
| to the metal detecting hobby too as thousands | | | | 1960's also led many US hobbyists to back |
| of users in the US are competing to be the | | | | away from coin collecting. Almost overnight |
| first to complete a set of all 50 states. | | | | the silver coins disappeared from circulation |
| | | | and could not be found in pocket change. The |
| I got started coin collecting in the boom era | | | | inability of finding scarce collectibles in |
| of US coin collecting back in the 1960's. | | | | their small change removed the most important |
| Coin prices soared to all time highs as the | | | | factor for participation in the hobby and the |
| uncirculated roll market was a phenomena | | | | marketplace. In 1999, it happened again! |
| unequaled in its power to attract collectors | | | | These popular 50 States quarters have all of |
| and investors. The 1950 D Jefferson Nickel | | | | us looking at our change again. My 80 year |
| rolls are a classic example of this boom. | | | | old Mom has purchased BU rolls of all issues |
| This roll sold for as much as $1200- a price | | | | for her and her grandson. Children of all |
| of $30 per coin in the 40 coin roll. As a | | | | ages have folders and albums for their coins |
| college student, I would go to coin club | | | | and some of them are also educational tools |
| meetings and purchase BU rolls of Morgans and | | | | that geography and history teachers are |
| Walking Liberty halves for $30 to $40 and | | | | utilizing. As a treasure hunter, every new |
| double or triple my money the very next day. | | | | one I find brings almost as much excitement |
| Good spending and expense money for a student | | | | as a good silver or gold coin. If you are new |
| who was working about 30 hours a week to help | | | | to the hobby of metal detecting or to coin |
| pay for my education. But the roll boom | | | | collecting, the 50 States quarters are a good |
| sputtered in the second half of the decade | | | | place to begin. Here's to "diggin' it"! |
| and late-date rolls have never regained the | | | | |