Go for it, Idaho

The Idaho quarter was released to circulation last week and bags and rolls of the coin are being sold to collectors via the Mint’s Web site.

I am waiting for word that there will be an official launch ceremony in Idaho, but as of yesterday afternoon, there was nothing from the U.S. Mint.

It can be argued that such ceremonies are old hat and unneeded. I disagree. Each state is marking its own history in its own way. States even find their own way to have internal disagreements about quarter designs. That’s the American Way. There are 50 states and there should be 50 unique ceremonies to remember the quarter program and each individual state’s history.

Numismatic News staff has not been able to attend them all – not even close – but we do our best to provide a look at each ceremony. It is that state’s rightful place under the numismatic sun.

Mint directors have come and gone, but when a program lasts 10 years, that is to be expected. It is gratifying that I personally have made it this far into the process. We are in the 9th year. Next year is the finale. A whole decade will have passed. Amazing. Kids who started collecting the coins in 1999 will have gone off to college.

Perhaps I will be able to persuade my superiors that the final ceremony, which will be in Hawaii next year, is worth covering in person. Hey, that’s the ticket. Perhaps other collectors will feel the same way. After all, it will be late October or early November and it wouldn’t be a particularly hard choice to make, Iola vs. Honolulu. Perhaps I had better write the governor immediately.