Coin collecting can offer valuable lessons
March 22nd, 2008, 8:37 pm Hobby Shops
According to the mint, more than 140 million Americans are collecting the state quarters. The mint hopes to continue this collectible roll with other current coin programs now or those about to be in circulation. Here are some programs from the mint that are likely to interest young collectors. *Quarters. Perhaps you thought the program was set to end this year with the release of Hawaii’s design. Not so. The mint will unveil six more quarters next year to cover the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The coins will be issued in the order listed. *Presidential coins. The fifth design of the presidential $1 coin series — James Monroe — was unveiled on Valentine’s Day. It joined George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, which were released last year. The presidential-coin program is similar to the quarter program, with staggered release dates. Due out next is John Quincy Adams on May 15, followed by Andrew Jackson in mid-August and Martin Van Buren, the eighth president, in mid-November. No living former or current president will be honored as part of this series. *Pennies. The mint plans to honor the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth with four new designs for the penny throughout 2009. The first design will pay tribute to Lincoln’s birth in Kentucky. The coins will be issued every three months. The usmint.gov Web site includes a history of money, a behind-the-scenes look at how coins are produced, tips on starting collections and release-date schedules on the various series of coins. Also on the site, a “Hip Pocket Change” section is devoted to children and offers everything from money trivia to quick lessons on the European euro. There also are classroom exercises for teachers. Steve Rosen is a columnist at The Kansas City Star. E-mail him at srosen@kcstar.com. In addition to recognizing presidents, the mint also is paying tribute to the nation’s first ladies with $10 gold coins. Last month, for example, the mint honored President James Monroe’s wife, Elizabeth.
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