Will enough quarters be preserved?

Production numbers for the fourth of the five America the Beautiful quarters for 2010 are now entered into the record books.

The Grand Canyon National Park registered 34.6 million at Denver and 34.8 million at Philadelphia for a combined total of 69.4 million.

Just a scootch less than the 70 million recorded for the prior Yosemite National Park design, Mint output for quarters seems to be stabilizing at right around that number for each design.

The Yellowstone design, which was the second one of the year came in at 68.4 million. Only the first design, the Hot Springs National Park issue, is significantly below that number at 59.6 million and at the beginning of the year the monthly overall Mint production was running at one-half and less of the present production pace.

Usually a first year of issue of a new series is more heavily saved than later issues, so collectors in 2021, when the series is finished, should have an abundant supply to choose from if this pattern holds.

However, what if the current low state of the economy and fatigued collectors, who might consider this the 12th year of an ongoing series rather than the first, lead to a low rate of preservation in uncirculated grades?

Could be interesting, but we’ll need to wait 10 years to find out the answer to this quest. However, at least unlike the 1982 and 1983 issues, there will be mint sets to raid should the supply of privately saved bags and rolls of the current quarters run short.