Commemorative legislation responses

From the Sept. 20 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Should legislation be passed to commemorate on quarters the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and four other U.S. Territories in 2009?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

No! If those territories wish to be on commemorative quarter dollars then they should become states.

Kurt J. Van Tassel
Pittsboro, N.C.

Yes, the legislation extending the ?State? quarter program should be extended to include D.C., Puerto Rico and the other territories. They deserve to be honored with a coin as much as the 50 states.

Les Peters
South Riding, Va.

No! No! No!

I have been thinking whether or not to continue ?til the end of next year.
The quarters have not been an inspiring coin.I will be glad to see them go away. Now, we have the Presidents. Another really boring coin. I have decided that they are not worth collecting. I wish the Mint would make something interesting along with the Sliver Eagle. A lot of people do not have the resources to do very expensive gold.

Ed Mills
Indianapolis, Ind.

No. There are 50 states and 50 stars on the flag. This is the 50 State Quarters Program.

 Dave Colteryahn
Cincinnati, Ohio

The Mint will not miss a chance to make more collectibles and money, so you bet legislation will be passed to add more.

R. Owens
Atlanta Ga.

I vote no! Let?s leave it alone. The 50 State Quarters was a good idea at the time and we should leave it alone as ?States.? I am sorry that we are going through all these other issues to make money and, that there are more being proposed by our lawmakers. I?ve been involved since the late '40s with this great hobby.

Gene Ballard
Big Bear Lake, Calif.

Yes, I would like to have D.C., Puerto Rico and the four U.S. Territories included as special quarter issues.

Douglas Shumate
Warner Robins, Ga.

I think it is a very good idea! After all, they are U.S. citizens and should not be slighted.

James W. Miller
Portsmouth, N.H.

I think that the District of Columbia should because it uses U.S. coinage. I do not know what is issued in Puerto Rico and the other territories, if they use US coins then Yes, if not, then no.

Dan Fiedler
Hackettstown, N.J.

No! It will lessen the significance of the 50 state quarters. Do those additional ones on the nickel.

Jim Sherman
Brandon, Miss.

I say just D.C. as it is inside the continental United Sates and is our nation?s capitol.

Tammie Chance
Ogden, Utah

Sure. Why not honor the possessions?

However, it will mess up my collection books, which are ideally set up for 200 coins.

Chris Heinrichs
San Antonio, Texas

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 392, ?District of Columbia and United States Territories Circulating Quarter Dollar Program Act? in January to extend the quarters program for D.C. and the territories.
The bill current is sitting in the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Although my senators are not members of this committee, I have written to them to urge that they ask their colleagues to bring this legislation to a floor vote and pass it. If you are interested in contacting the committee, go to http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Form to fill out the form and ask them to support H.R. 392.

Scott Barman
Rockville, Md.

Quarters to commemorate the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the four other territories should not be included in the STATE QUARTER program since these are territories, not states.

Some coin to commemorate them is a good idea, could even be on the quarter dollar coins. It should be classified as a different program so as not to confuse non-collectors. A break in time would be a good idea for these commemoratives.

Albert Andreotti Jr.
Pennsauken, N.J.

I do think we should honor the other six ?states? (territories, possessions and districts) on our State Quarters program. I would even go so far as issuing one for the Moon, too ... we have a flag planted up there!! Yes, I know, the moon cannot be considered as belonging to one given country ... but I still like the idea.

Michael Cooper
Layton, Utah

I think you said it already: there are six states left. States have very specific rights, privileges, and obligations. Territories have some rights, some privileges, but carry few of the obligations that states do.
When commemorative coins have been produced for each of the 50 states, the series should end. If we desire to commemorate territories, it should be with a new series of coins or medals.

Eric Santanen
Lewisburg, Pa.

I agree that the District of Columbia should be included within the Commemorative Quarters program, but I?m not so sure about the territories. When trying to name the territories, I only could come up with three: Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa (and I?m not so sure of the last one). If they are so obscure, do they belong in the series? Thank you.

Jerry Cornwell
Denver, Colo.

I?m getting up in years, and I just hope I can complete this quarter program. If they extend it, I may not make it. I would like to see it end. I hate not being able to complete what I start. Since my Lincoln cent collection is complete, I?d even like to see them end that production in ?09. I?ve been saving Lincolns for 57 years, and still had to buy some of them.

Don Ginsberg
Indianapolis, Ind.

?Yes,? I agree.

I believe that Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samona, Marshal Islands, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands should have their place in the 50 State Quarters; Congress should name it ?Extension of the 50 State Quarters Program.?

I think many collectors will like this idea, and I think the 2009 quarters will be a great series that is added to the program.

Ernest Di Meglio
Lakewood, N.J.

Yes, by all means, extend the program to cover our territories. School teachers and parents everywhere, me included, who have been using the quarters to teach young people about our country will have more opportunity to continue to teach. Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, American Virgin Islands, bring ?em on!!!

Malcolm Johnson
Vista, Calif.

I definitely favor the idea of having quarters struck for the District of Columbia (more populous than several of the states) and the territories.

Halbert Carmichael
Raleigh, N.C.

Yes, I?m enjoying collecting the statehood quarters via the Silver Proof Set program and would gladly continue with the additional quarter entries.

Robert H. Ball Jr.
Detroit, Mich.

I think the Statehood Quarter series should be continued to include Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Territories. This series has been a boon for the collecting hobby and a wonderful teaching aid for the young and old. The continuation will expose people to ?foreign? coins and a better understanding of the U.S. responsibilities outside the fifty states.

Robert R. Maisch
Mobridge, S.D.

The 50 State Quarter program should remain the 50 State Quarter program.

Just because it has been a huge financial success for the Mint is no reason to change the program eight years after its inception.

Alan Patterson
Marietta, Ga.

It is my understanding that legislation to extend the quarter program has been introduced in the House of Representatives on several occasions. I look forward to its approval, as we may see some exotic designs.

Alberto Pico
San Juan, Puerto Rico

I do not feel that any other quarters should be minted for the D.C., Puerto Rico or any other U.S. territory. We have given homage to all of our 50 states, or at least will by the end of 2008. If another territory wants to be included, let them apply for statehood. This includes Washington, D.C.

Richard G. Hoover
St. Petersburg, Fla.

Quarters should be minted for the six non-states as a separate program. Although they are not part of the Fifty State program, they are part of the United States and deserve recognition.

Carl Bernard
Concord, N.H.

Yes. If we are going to commemorate what makes up America, then we need to make sure that all the people are represented, and these six make up a significant piece of who we are.

James J. O?Connell III
Hawthorne, Calif.

Certainly the U.S. territories deserve to be recognized similar to the official states. They are an integral part of the U.S. and are U.S. citizens proud of their citizenship as well as of their place of residence. I have sent the suggested quarter samples for the Puerto Rico quarter and it is a very unique, beautiful design and something ALL Americans should be aware of.

Carlos R. Ortiz
Canandaigua, N.Y.

I really hope those other places gain their statehood. It?s about time they did. Those places have been waiting long enough. I cannot believe that D.C. is not a bona fide state, after all these years.

Dianne Hardin
Burlingame, Calif.

The state quarter program is the ?State Quarter Program,? not the ?State, Territories and Some Other Places Quarter Program.? So, no, let it end with the 50 states. I, for one, will be glad to see it go.

Tim Correll
St. Louis, Mo.

This sounds like a great idea. Who said these quarters had to be restricted to commemorating states only!

Robert Salvato
White Mills, Pa.

Should legislation be passed to commemorate on quarters the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and four other U.S. Territories in 2009?
Why would the U.S. Mint ever want to end a good thing! Let?s go for it!

Robert Lorenz
McKees Rocks, Pa.

Well, my collectors wall map only has 50 holes and that makes sense to me because it?s a 50 State Quarters Program (and trademarked as such). I can understand why including the District of Columbia may be appropriate (but too late). However, Puerto Rico and 4 territories (I?m guessing you mean Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Somoa and Northern Mariana Islands; there are several others to choose from) is warranted.

Although territories are under U.S. control and the people living there are U.S citizens, they are not states and should not be given that distinction in this case. Maybe a six-coin dime or nickel program would suffice. We should keep the quarters program to the 50 states. I?m not buying another map.

Robert Babb
Acworth, Ga.

With the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961, residents of the District became eligible to vote for president. The District has three electoral votes ? the same number as states with the smallest populations, such as Montana, Wyoming, Delaware, Alaska, Vermont and the Dakotas. They should be entitled to their own special Statehood quarter!

Doris Anna Wright
Shermans Dale, Pa.

The territories and D.C. should have a quarter. They are part of the U.S. and share our history. Also, it would be fun to see what designs they come up with.

Brett Whitford
Palomino Valley, Nev.

No, the program should not be extended. Neither the general public nor collectors have asked for this legislation, and in fact, the proposed bill is merely a way for Congress to throw a bone to the territories.
The territories and possessions do not hold the same status as states and therefore should not be treated as such. It would be more appropriate for the Mint to issue special commemoratives recognizing their unique relationship with the United States.

Dennis Colby
Villa Park, Ill.

I feel the U.S. territories should be included in the State Quarters series.

Bob Thiel
Victor, N.Y.