50 States Commemorative Circulating Coin Program
50 States Commemorative Circulating Coin Program
Recent news:
May 21st - The State of New Hampshire has a web page on its upcoming quarter.
The U.S. Mint has published a page on the 50 state quarters, including a Mint may bulk up state quarter program - reprinted from Coin World
May 7th - Delaware quarter designs step closer to final - from Coin World.
March 18th - Current status of the program, from Coin World - Legislation authorizing a rearrangement of mandated inscriptions on the 50 states circulating commemorative quarter dollars is now pending in the House, and the Mint is providing design templates to the first five states whose coins are due to make their debut in 1999.
March 18th - Mint engravers working on Delaware quarters, other states at work - from Coin World
December 3, 1997 - District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and American Samoa might participate in the program. Excerpt from Coin World
November 19th - The 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act authorizing the striking of the new quarters passed the House and Senate and has been sent to the President. Article in Coin World.
September 29th - Treasury sets guides for quarters - excerpt from an article in Coin World
August 25th - Coin World reports: "circulating quarter dollars honoring each of the 50 states will be produced at both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, says Mint Director Philip N. Diehl, raising the possibility of 100 quarters to be collected over 10 years rather than 50. 'We have the capacity to produce enough coins for this program,' assured Diehl, as he fielded questions from more than 150 collectors who packed a Numismatic Theater session Aug. 1 during the American Numismatic Association's convention in New York City.
June 10th - the treasury study commissioned by the law concluded that there is significant public support for the program. The Secretary of the Treasury now has until August 1 to decide whether to move ahead with the program. See the congressional press release.
If you are interested in seeing the program carried out, write to Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin at the Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20220.
History: The United States Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 cointained a section authorizing a study to determine the feasibility of the 50 States Commemorative Circulating Quarter program, and recommending it be implemented if it the study was positive. It was signed into law on October 20, 1996, becoming Public Law 104-329.
(Originally it was HR 3793, a separate bill.)
ANA press release - 50-state Circulating Commems a Great Boost for the Hobby
Move over, Washington, the states are coming! - An article by Leon Worden
July 14th - "Circulating state commems 'will happen'" - excerpt from an article in Coin World
Harvey Stack's congressional testimony about the program
50 States Commemorative Coin Program passed by House and Senate - a Congressional Press Release from Congressman Michael Castle, the sponsor, 10/4/96