For the state quarters I collected UNC versions bought from dealers. No proofs. I figure that cost me about $50 over the 10 year period when I add in the cost of the album. And I'll continue this in 2009 with the DC and territories quarters; I consider them part of the series even if they were an afterthought. But that's it. The National Parks series will be collected right out of circulation. Plus I'll try and do trades for the ones I can't find in a reasonable length of time. Why? The state quarters were NOT a fun series to collect. Two months between issues just doesn't keep my interest. Then 5 minutes at a dealer's table a couple times a year and I was up to date. That's not fun. I think trying to find the National Parks series in circulation will add at least a bit of spice to to the process. And I'm lucky in that respect. I live in the Washington, DC area so there will be LOTS of visitors and tourists. That should get a lot of the Denver coins mixed in around here.
To me the State Quarters program was a great idea. The Territorials quarters a bad idea. The rest of it and what ever else the mint comes up with , an awful idea. Just plan over kill and cheapens the State quarter series in my humble opinion.
