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Frequently
Asked Questions
View Annual Coin Sets
ABOUT THE UNITED
STATES MINT 50 STATE QUARTERS™ PROGRAM
What is
the 50 State Quarters™ Program?
It's a program that honors the individual
50 states that comprise the United States through a
new series of circulating quarters being issued over
the next decade.
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What is the production
status of the 50 State Quarters™ (Public
Law 105-124, December 1, 1997)?
On January 8, 1998, Treasury Secretary
Robert E. Rubin issued letters to the governors of the
five states to be honored with commemorative quarters
in 1999: Delaware, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Georgia,
and Connecticut. The letters
outlined the parameters and process for selecting state
coin designs and included templates for the state designs.
The process, which includes elements of both Treasury
and state participation, outlines that the Delaware
coin design be finalized by June 15 and the designs
for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut
by July 1, 1998.
Governors of states to be honored in
2000-2008 received letters outlining the coin design
process and parameters and a schedule of issuance.
Production of state quarters for circulation
is expected to begin in late 1998, with issuance of
the first quarters in 1999.
A national feasibility study was undertaken
to assess possible customer preferences and demand for
numismatics sets involving the state commemorative quarters.
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Why are the
quarter designs being changed?
According to Public
Law 105-124, "Congress finds that it is appropriate
and timely to honor the unique Federal Republic of 50
States that comprise the United States; and to promote
the diffusion of knowledge among the youth of the United
States about the individual states, their history and
geography, and the rich diversity of the national heritage…"
and to encourage "young people and their families
to collect memorable tokens of all of the States for
the face value of the coins."
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Who is
responsible for making the decision to redesign the
quarters?
President Clinton signed the 50 States
Commemorative Coin Program Act (Public Law 105-124)
into law on December 1, 1997.
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Where will
the coins be minted?
The circulating commemorative quarters
will be produced at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints.
The proof versions will be produced at the San Francisco
Mint.
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Why was the
quarter chosen as the coin for this program?
The quarter is the largest coin that
circulates broadly and is therefore available to all
Americans. In addition, the larger size of the quarter
provides a larger field for the state designs.
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Have
there been any similar programs in recent history?
The U.S. Mint produced Bicentennial quarters,
half dollars and dollars with special Bicentennial reverse
designs in 1975 and 1976.
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Will any
circulating commemorative quarters be issued to honor
the territories and other possessions of the United
States?
Public Law 105-124 provides that "If any additional State is admitted into the Union
before the end of the 10-year period . . .the Secretary
of the Treasury may issue quarter dollar coins, in accordance
with this subsection, with a design which is emblematic
of such state during any 1 year of such 10-year period,
in addition to the quarter dollar coins issued during
such year" in accordance with the authorizing legislation.
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Why is there
no quarter to honor the District of Columbia?
The authorizing law only calls for quarters
to honor the 50 states. However, there is a provision
in the law regarding the possibility of additional states.
On April 1, 1998, Representative Eleanor Holmes-Norton
(D-DC) introduced a bill to extend the program by one
year to include American Samoa, the District of Columbia,
Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. If the bill
passes, it will take collectors 11 years to get the
entire set of 55 coins and will cost them $13.75.
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How is
this program funded?
The 50 State Quarters™ Program is
self-supported.
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What
will the program cost the U.S. taxpayer?
There will be no net cost to the U.S.
taxpayer. The cost to manufacture a circulating quarter
is about five cents, providing the government with a
profit of 20 cents per quarter. According to a feasibility
study mandated by Congress, the majority of those polled
expressed an interest in either collecting the quarters
from circulation or purchasing special sets from the
Mint. Regular circulating quarter production over the
last five years has ranged from one to two billion coins
per year. According to the Treasury feasibility study,
incremental demand for circulating quarters beyond normal
demand - will range from 1.5 to 3 billion quarters per
year over the life of the program. This demand will
generate an estimated profit of $2.6 to $5.1 billion
over 10 years. All costs of die manufacturing and engraving
associated with the program will be offset by this profit.
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Where will
the profits go?
The profits will ultimately go to the
general fund of the U.S. Treasury to fund its operations
and programs.
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How often will
the reverse of the coin change?
Five reverse designs will appear each
year for 10 years.
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THE COIN DESIGN
PROCESS
How
will the designs be selected?
May I submit design ideas (graphics) for the design
of the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program?
State Quarter Designs will be selected and approved by the process established by Secretary
of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin on January 9, 1998,
in accordance with Public Law 105-124. In this process, governors will be
invited to submit design concepts or themes that represent
their states. We suggest you contact the office of your
state governor about submitting design ideas or graphics.
Drawings of the various concepts will be reviewed by
the Mint, the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee,
and the Fine Arts Commission, and then sent to the Secretary
of the Treasury for final review and approval. The Secretary
of the Treasury will select between three and five candidate
designs which will be forwarded to the state governor's
office for final selection through a process determined
by the governor. Last, the Secretary of the Treasury
will give the final approval to the selected design
for each state. See also Design
Criteria.
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What is
the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee?
Established by Congress, this committee
advises Congress on commemorative coin themes, mintage
levels and years of issue, and advises the Secretary
of the Treasury on commemorative coin designs. It is
composed of seven members: three from the numismatic
community, three from the general public, and one from
the U.S. Mint. A member of the Commission of Fine Arts
may participate as a non-voting member. Members are
appointed for four-year terms.
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What is the
U. S. Fine Arts Commission?
Congress established the U. S. Fine Arts
Commission as an independent agency in 1910 to advise
the government on matters of art and architecture that
affect the appearance of the nation's capital. The President
appoints seven members for four-year terms. The Commission
also advises the U.S. Mint on the designs of coins and
medals and is responsible generally for advising on
questions of art from the President or Congressional
committees.
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Will
any changes be made on the quarter's traditional inscriptions?
All current inscriptions will appear
on the quarter. The 50 States Commemorative Coin Program
Act did not affect the current statutory requirement
that United States coins shall have the inscriptions
"In God We Trust",; "Liberty,"
"United States of America," and "E Pluribus
Unum,", as well as a designation of the value of
the coin and the year of minting or issuance. Three
of the inscriptions ("United States of America",
"E Pluribus Unum" and a designation of the
value) are required to be placed on the reverse of each
coin . However, on May 29, 1998, President Clinton signed
Public Law 105-176, which
allows for any inscription or inscriptions currently
required to be on the reverse of the quarter to be repositioned
on the obverse of the new quarters. This law was enacted
to provide for greater creative flexibility in developing
the state designs. See our page on the New Quarter Obverse Design for more information.
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Are there
limitations to what can be placed on the coins?
Regarding designs for the quarters reverse,Public
Law 105-124 specifies that "no portrait of
a living person shall be included in any design,"
prohibits any "head and shoulder portrait or bust
of any person, living or dead," and gives the Secretary
of the Treasury final approval of each design, with
the direction that he "shall not select any frivolous
or inappropriate design."
Suitable subject matter for design concepts
include state landmarks (natural and man-made), landscapes,
historically significant buildings, symbols of state
resources or industries, official state flora and fauna,
State icons (e.g., Texas Lone Star, Wyoming bronco,
etc.), and outlines of states. State flags and seals
are not considered suitable.
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Will the coins
be issued in any type of sequence?
States will be honored with a reverse
quarter design "in the order in which such States
ratified the Constitution of the United States or were
admitted into the Union."
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AVAILABILITY
Will the
coins be circulated throughout the United States?
The 50 State Quarters™ will be produced
at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints and distributed
by the Federal Reserve through commercial banks throughout
the country just as regular circulating quarters are
today.
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How will
each state quarter circulate?
Consumers can expect to start receiving
state quarters as change when conducting commercial
transactions by late summer 1999. The Mint will sell
special collector sets that will be available by mid-1999.
Consumers may also contact the United States Mint Customer
Care Center at (202) 283-2646 to purchase and receive
more information about the special collector sets.
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What year
will my state's quarter become available?
State quarters will be issued in sequence,
at approximately 10-week intervals beginning in 1999.
See our 10-Year Schedule of Quarters
for a detailed listing of year-by-year releases.
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Does the Mint
have production capacity to meet anticipated demand
for the circulating commemorative quarters?
The Treasury feasibility study documented
that existing capacity, currently planned capital improvements,
and developed contingency plans ensure that the Mint
will have sufficient capacity to meet production requirements
even under the highest demand scenarios.
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Is the
Mint still producing the old "Eagle" quarters?
The only quarters minted for the next
decade (1999 - 2008) will be 50 State Quarters™.
However, the "Eagle" quarters will continue
to be in circulation.
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Are the
new state quarters considered legal tender?
Like the "Eagle" quarters,
all 50 State Quarters™ are considered legal tender
to be used in all commercial transactions. They will
circulate much like the "Eagle" quarters -
via commerce.
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Are the
50 State Quarters™ considered collectors' items?
Although the entire set of 50 State Quarters™
can be collected for $12.50, the coins are not considered
collectibles because they are in regular circulation.
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Do vending
machines accept these new quarters?
All machines and venues where quarters
are accepted will be able to receive the new 50 State
Quarters™.
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COLLECTING
THE 50 STATE QUARTERS™
How can
I collect the quarters?
The quarters will appear in circulation
as regular quarters do now, so you can expect to receive
them in commercial transactions beginning in 1999. In
addition, the Mint will sell special collector sets
that will be available by mid-1999. To receive notification,
add your name
to the mailing list through the Mint's web site
or by contacting our Customer Care Center at (202) 283-2646.
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Has it been
determined how mint sets will work in the next 10 years
with these five different varieties of quarters?
The Mint is developing plans to sell
to collectors and the general public a range of collector-edition
proof, uncirculated, and silver proof sets incorporating
the state commemorative quarters. The product range
will include complete collections, annual numismatic
sets, and special offerings aimed at young collectors.
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Will proof
sets and other special commemorative sets be issued?
How much will they cost?
We envision offering 9-coin proof and
9-coin silver proof sets in 1999 that include the cent,
nickel, dime, half dollar, and each of the five state
quarters. These sets would be produced at the San Francisco
Mint and configured in two separate sealed lenses (with
one lens comprising the quarters) combined in a single
set. We anticipate the 1999 proof sets becoming available
in May 1999. The 18-coin 1999 Uncirculated Set®
will include both Philadelphia and Denver versions of
the state quarters and the cent, nickel, dime, and half
dollar. The 20-coin 2000 Uncirculated Set® will
include the new dollar coin, to be issued that year.
The prices of the sets have not yet been determined.
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Will
the standard set include all the types, or will collectors
have to buy a special quarter set?
The annual proof, silver proof, and uncirculated
sets will include all five annual circulating quarters
as well as all other denominations of circulating coinage.
We also envision offering proof and silver proof five-quarter
sets.
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Will Philadelphia
and Denver make all five varieties each year, or will
specific states produce only specific types?
The 50 State Quarters™ will be produced
at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints and distributed
by the Federal Reserve through commercial banks throughout
the country - as regular circulating quarters are today.
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Does
the Mint sell any albums in which collectors may keep
their coins?
The Mint plans to offer 50 State Quarters™
collecting kits, albums, and accessories to encourage
and assist collectors, and to promote education about
the States and coinage.
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Will the
public be able to purchase the entire set of 50 coins?
A complete set of quarters can be collected
from circulation for $12.50. We anticipate offering
special 5-coin sets. We also plan to sell collectors
and the general public a range of collector-edition
proof, uncirculated, and silver proof sets incorporating
the state commemorative quarters.
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Are
the Washington Quarter Silver Proofs still being produced?
I believe they were part of the prestige sets of 1992-1996.
We will continue to produce the annual
silver proof sets. These sets will include all five
annual circulating quarters as well as all other denominations
of circulating coinage. However, the annual prestige
set was discontinued in 1997.
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I am already
on the U.S. Mint mailing list. Will I automatically
be mailed ordering information when it's time to order
the new 50 State Quarters™?
We will send information about the quarters
to our mailing list customers through our annual proof,
silver proof and uncirculated set offerings. The quarters
will also be offered through our annual Catalog and
Online Catalog.
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Will a commemorative
coin set of each of the quarters be issued during the
year?
We are currently in the process of developing
our numismatic offerings involving the state commemorative
quarters. We are looking into the possibility of offering
proof and silver proof five-quarter sets.
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Is it
possible to order new rolls of each of the quarters?
How can one go about it?
The Mint does not currently have the
equipment required to offer quarters packaged in rolls,
and the costs for such new equipment would need to be
reflected in the price of an offering of this type.
However, you may want to contact local coin dealers
to see if they can help you obtain rolls of the circulating
commemorative quarters.
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Is there
an educational component to the 50 State Quarters™
Program?
Yes. The United States Mint is working
closely with educational organizations to develop educational
materials and an interactive web site that will enable
educators to bring to their classrooms the rich history
of the Mint and how the 50 State Quarters™ Program
honors America's union.
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