| There was a time in our nation's history when | | | | would have to be a 13-month program because |
| kids and adults alike could hope to find old coins | | | | Canada now has 3 territories - Nunavut became a |
| mixed in with their pocket change. You could find | | | | territory in 1999. |
| Indian Head Pennies, Buffalo Nickels or coins that | | | | Before the 50 State Quarter Program was |
| contained silver. Today the best you can hope for | | | | decided on, other suggestions based on the |
| is an occasional Wheat penny, unless you are one | | | | Canada 125 Program made the rounds of the |
| of the many people who collect State Quarters. | | | | numismatic world. One suggestion was to issue |
| Prior to 1999 coin collecting as a hobby had lost a | | | | special half dollars to commemorate each state. |
| lot of its popularity and some would argue that it | | | | Though the coins would be legal tender, it was |
| was on the decline. In January 1999 the first | | | | reasoned that they would cause little disruption |
| quarter of the 50 State Quarter Program was | | | | because people aren't used to seeing or spending |
| issued and suddenly, America was in love with | | | | half dollars. They would become a collector's item |
| coin collecting again. Once again kids and adults | | | | and introduce the hobby of coin collecting to a |
| were checking their pocket change for the | | | | new generation. |
| newest state quarter. | | | | The U.S. Mint actually makes money each time it |
| The program was kicked off with the issuing of | | | | strikes a coin. When the State Quarter Program |
| the Delaware quarter January 1999 and is | | | | was started in 1999 it cost the Mint 3 cents a |
| scheduled to end when the Hawaii quarter is | | | | coin to produce. The 3 cents included production |
| issued October 2008. The schedule calls for five | | | | costs and the cost of the metal used in the coin. |
| quarters a year, which works out to one new | | | | The demand for the new Washington quarter |
| state coin being issued approximately every 10 | | | | exceeded previous production runs. The output of |
| weeks. It is the relative short time between the | | | | 1998 quarters, the last year of the standard |
| issuing of each state coin that is partially | | | | quarter, was a little more than 1.7 billion. The new |
| responsible for this programs popularity. The | | | | state quarter launched in 1999 had a production |
| program may be extending beyond 2008 so that | | | | run of more than 4.4 billion. In the year 2000 the |
| quarters with designs honoring the District of | | | | production was raided to 6.5 billion. A profit of 22 |
| Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Territories of | | | | cents a coin can add up significantly when |
| Guam, the Northern Marianas, American Samoa | | | | multiplied by 6.5 billion. |
| and the Virgin Islands can be issued. | | | | Once people started checking their change for |
| The popular U.S. program is based on an equally | | | | "state quarters" they started to think about the |
| popular program that the Royal Canadian Mint | | | | possibilities of coin collecting. The coin market has |
| carried out in 1992 to celebrate Canada's 125th | | | | experienced a revival among hobbyists. Collecting |
| anniversary of its confederation. Canada issued | | | | date-and-mint sets is once again popular, as well |
| one coin a month that year to commemorate | | | | as collecting investment coins and of course, |
| each of 10 provinces and 2 territories. Today it | | | | collecting the 50 State Quarters. |