# What Happened to the New Quarters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193 "2004-10-08T13:43:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/21 "2004-10-08T20:19:32Z")
> [@occ](#): > > My question: do all those folks who bought the collectible quarter map of the US still actively use them? I remember that you couldn’t turn around without accidentally buying one of these things. I don’t have the map, but a special quarter book for just the state quarters. I keep it under the little bowl I use to keep my change from falling between sofa cushions. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/22 "2004-10-08T21:25:56Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Uh, I _hope_ you’re wrong here – I’d expect to see many **new quarters** , but only HI in terms of **new designs** , reverting back to the 1932 eagle or starting another reverse design after the 50 states are disposed of. Uh, I _hope_ you’re wrong here – about the 50 states being disposed of, that is! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/23 "2004-10-08T21:31:12Z")
The reasons that some people in some locations seems to get the latest state quarter in timely fashion has to do with the demand for quarters in your Federal Reserve area. If you are in, say, Akron, Ohio, your local banks get their quarters from the Cleveland Federal Reserve(although the actual transport, rolling, etc. has been subcontracted to Brinks). If this month there is a huge _influx_ of quarters into the Cleveland Fed. Reserve, producing an oversuppply, then, when the Philadelphia Mint calls Cleveland to ask if they need more quarters, the answer is “no.” So the Philly mint doesn’t ship any Iowa quarters to Cleveland. On the flip side, to coin an expression, an area which seems to _always_ need lots of change is Florida. It may have to do with the tourist biz. So, my spies tell me that you can usually get the latest state quarter rather quickly after release if you live in Florida. Our coin shop buys about $100,000. worth of each coin as it comes out. We have to pay extra to find them, and have them delivered. Usually, we get them through middlemen who have a brother-in-law who knows a guard at Brinks, who tells his barber when they physically arrive at the local Fed(which varies, from quarter to quarter). 🙂 I think that you won’t see Wisconsin til _much_ later this year. The mint has been running behind on all of the coins for the year. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/24 "2004-10-08T21:45:21Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > If you look closely at the quarters, you will see a little “P” or a little “D” showing which mint the quarter came from. I come across Denver quarters frequently, I’m having a hard time finding Philadelphia ones. Usually with most US coins, and I can’t tell you what the case is with the new state quarters, no letter at all as a default is from Philadelphia as it’s the more prolific mint. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/25 "2004-10-08T22:05:15Z")
> [@Crandolph](#): > > Usually with most US coins, and I can’t tell you what the case is with the new state quarters, no letter at all as a default is from Philadelphia as it’s the more prolific mint. That was the case until about 1982. Since then, the Philly mint has added a “P” to their products. With the exception of the cent. And, it didn’t have to do with it being more “prolific.” The _only_ US mint for the first 40+ years was the Philadelphia mint. So, there was no need for a mintmark. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/26 "2004-10-08T22:08:59Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > That was the case until about 1982. Since then, the Philly mint has added a “P” to their products. With the exception of the cent. > > And, it didn’t have to do with it being more “prolific.” The _only_ US mint for the first 40+ years was the Philadelphia mint. So, there was no need for a mintmark. Didn’t know that! No one sent me the memo, and pennies probably reinforced that impression. Do you know if this is also the case for foreign coins? I know the mint contracts out to other western hemisphere countries. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/27 "2004-10-09T19:41:16Z")
On the Philly Mint: I figured thats what the first poster was getting at. I started on my collection with my parents, and had to tell my mom that you couldnt simply put one state quarter “Above or below” (Which space was reserved for which mint location) but I think we have one or two Quarters that are indeed in the wrong mint location…thankfuly not in the wrong “state”. :eek: Very hard to remove (if even doable) a “locked” coin in the traditional coin folders. I tend to agree with the OP, later coins seem to be harder to find, yet the original (1999 was it?) 4 are spent just as soon as I go through the “already have it” check list. A final note on the “turning around without accidentaly buying” one of those coin maps. These so easily where hand picked designs for the masses, who follow the fads durring the peak of the phenomenon… I asked my self on virtualy each one I saw… “Where is the place for the other mint’s coin” ? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/28 "2004-10-09T21:18:56Z")
I haven’t seen any Iowas yet, but have seen Florida and Texas quarters. Almost all the quarters out here have been Denver mint. I haven’t seen many Philadelphia quarters. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/29 "2004-10-09T21:35:35Z")
> [@occ](#): > > My question: do all those folks who bought the collectible quarter map of the US still actively use them? I remember that you couldn’t turn around without accidentally buying one of these things. My mom gave me one a year or so ago, and I’ve been using it to store and keep track of the quarters I have, and of what I need to look for next. I only got Texas a few weeks ago, and have not seen an Iowa yet. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/30 "2004-10-10T01:43:29Z")
Of course I was referring to Phildelphia the mint (as opposed to the Denver mint.) There used to be a San Francisco mint also. I see lots more P quarters when I go East. My book has spaces for both Denver and Philadelphia coins, convenient because you can show both faces. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193/31 "2004-10-10T01:50:16Z")
There’s still a San Francisco mint. That’s where proof coins are minted. (FYI, there’s a mint at West Point too.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-the-new-quarters/268193.md?page=1)