ATTN: U.S. Mint - Ideas For After the ATB Quarter Series - What Comes Next?

They weren't all meant to be in circulation, such as proof and silver quarters. But for those quarters that were meant to be in circulation, they are all out there. I know because I've collected almost all of them from circulation. And those I haven't collected are almost all "D" quarters, and that is only because I'm on Eastern side of the country.

The only quarters meant for circulation that are extremely difficult and improbable to find are the "W" quarters. Someone on "For Sale" thread here on CT is selling 47 of a recent issue of the "W" quarters for $25 each. This is very upsetting to me. The guy had to have bribed someone with access to have given him many, many boxes of brand new quarters (or worse, to have given him 50 "W" quarters straight out of the mint, having never made their way into circulation at all). That was NOT how the "W" quarters were supposed to work. It doesn't help that there are people willing to PAY that kind of money for "W" quarters. They were not supposed to be a business for people making deals under the table before they ever reach circulation. Getting a few new rolls from your friendly neighborhood bank teller is one thing. But getting enough boxes of brand new quarters to be able to find a quantity of 50 "W" quarters is something else entirely. It's upsetting to some of us who play fairly.

 

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It's not any different, and the standard-issue coins - Cents, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters - NEVER generated the kind of interest which the State Quarters Series & ATB Quarters Series generated with people who wouldn't otherwise have been collectors. And once those people started really enjoying collecting the State or ATB quarters some of them graduated to other coins. Some sprung for Proof Sets or Silver Sets, bought them as gifts, etc. The point is, the State and ATB Series Quarters generated a huge amount of interest that the standard issue coins never did before.

So starting with "Heads" again, of anyone great - musicians, poets, scientists - will not generate that kind of interest. But I think Animals will. Mammals in particular. And every state has an official Mammal. Some states even have more than one. Birds are not a good idea because they all would look too similar on a single-color coin. But Mammals all look different - a horse, beaver, orca, panther, fox, bear, deer, cat, sheep, dolphin, dog, etc.

 

Most famous athlete from every state. THAT will interest kids. Not pictures of sheep.

 

The kids would not recognize them. The law prohibits representing anyone living on coins, currency or stamps.

 

Pretty sure a lot of kids would recognize Kobe Bryant, Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Wilt the Stilt, Ted Williams, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Unitas, Mickey Mantle, Bart Starr . . .

Even if they did not recognize each specifically, if done properly they would recognize that these were famous athletes. A lot more kids watch sports than the nature channel.

 

If you really want to interest kinds, put a dinosaur on there. Thirteen states already have a state dinosaur. I'm sure we could come up with something for the other 40 +/- states/territories.

 

https://www.moderncoinmart.com/silv...pizza-scented-in-original-mint-packaging.html

 

From The Spruce Crafts:
Living People on United States Coins
Since the United States Congress dictates the laws regarding our coinage, they can also create exceptions to place living people on United States coinage. Given that, there have been six people that have been alive when their images appeared on United States coins. They are:

1. Governor T.E. Kilby on the front of the 1921 Alabama Centennial.
2. President Calvin Coolidge on the front of the 1926 Sesquicentennial of American Independence.
3. Senator Carter Glass on the front of the 1936 Lynchburg, Virginia, Sesquicentennial coin.
4. Senator Joseph T. Robinson on the back of the 1936 Robinson-Arkansas Centennial coin.
5. Eunice Kennedy Shriver on the obverse of the 1995 Special Olympics World Games Commemorative Silver Dollar.
6. Nancy Reagan on the 2016 First Spouse $10 Gold Coin.
   Note: Nancy Reagan died on March 6, 2016, before the coin was officially released on July 1, 2016. However, the coin was approved and minted by The United States Mint before her death.

https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/onl...here have been,of the 1921 Alabama Centennial.

 

The other 40+ could use their Senator or Representatives, lots of dinosaurs there!

 

I think a spread eagle, head turned right, perched on a quill of arrows, would be a really cool reverse. Maybe add a privy mark for each state.

 

Awww, you beat me to it! LOL!

 

The idea is to appeal to kids AND adults. Sports are taste specific, and lots of people aren't into sports at all, and there are a limited number to depict.

But everyone - kids and adults alike - enjoy the Zoo. It's both interesting and non-controversial. It's pleasant and neutral at the same time. No competition, no "my historic sports star is better than your historic sports star."

They say visits with tamed animals reduce stress. It's probably because animals are not political, accept us as we are, and we never have to second guess them. Animals just want to live and let live. Even carnivores are not out to kill other living things which they don't need for sustenance, as long as it is not threatening them in some way.

Animals are simple. They don't have pretenses. Their love is real. And their pain is raw. They don't act nice and then stab you in the back. It doesn't matter to them what you look like, what you do for a living, or any of the other myriad things that humans use to judge us. It's no wonder they reduce stress! And can't we all use a little stress reducing these days, even if only on our coinage?

And let's keep to the animal theme with an Eagle on the Reverse. The eagle feeding her young, or sheltering her young ones in some way. A nurturing eagle depiction.

 

@Good Cents, I appreciate your passion for doing it for the kids. And I agree mammals would be a reasonable choice to follow up behind the state and ATB series. Share your thoughts with the director of the mint through a passionate letter. Being an avid deer hunter, I could be interested in a quarter with whitetail deer on it. And let each state choose their depiction s they see fit.

 

I've seen enough of these so called special series. Let's go back to the pre 1999 design with good old George Washington with the eagle reverse.

 

This is the direction the USPS went as they destroyed stamp collecting. Printing Wallpaper. I had collected stamps for as long as coins. In 2000 I stopped. There were hundreds of stamps being issued every year. A good many long time collectors also quit. The USPS was not satisfied with one stamp of Joe Blow. They had to make Souvenir Sheets, Self Stick rolls, Booklets, and every other combination imaginable. Some stamps had so many formats that the individual variations would take up one page in an album. They even started putting the date of issue on stamps so a person could be sure he got all of the variations.

 

Thank you Mike. That's a good idea. I think will write that letter. Thank you for your support of my idea!

 

I've also been collecting stamps since I was a kid. What I started doing when they started issuing all those different products back in the late 90's was, I decided that it was the Stamp Sheet that I liked the best in terms of all the different formats available. I bought an album and blank pages where I could insert my favorite sheets. My new focus was not about owning everything, it was about getting the things I truly liked and that was it. I still do that. I have a few albums, but everything in them are things I like or find interesting. I don't have first day covers, and all the other available items. It's too much stuff. Sometimes they are right when they say "less is more."

 

I don't enjoy the zoo. Leave the wild animals alone. They were here
before us and they don't belong in cages.

 

I've had enough of the quarter series. Let's do a dime series if we are gonna do it, that coin needs a refresh anyways. Could do animal reverses in tiny detail or whatever as far as state mammals someone is getting stuck with a rat I'm sure a lot of states share the same animals I'd like for the quarter to get a stable reverse and be done with it for a good while, the cent got the Lincoln life, Jefferson got a rework and westward journey, it's the dimes turn.

 

Unfortunately, the US Mint takes its lead from congress and we all know how well they plan and execute. They, like pro sports, think that we the people will accept anything they try to feed us. The bottom line will but what gets the best ROI.