State Quarters.....

[poltr1]

Tonight I went to Ritter's Frozen Custard and received two Alabama state quarters as change. The reverse features a famous Alabaman -- Helen Keller -- stitting in a chair.

Like many people, I've been collecting the US state quarters since the first one (Delaware) came out just over 4 years ago. The album I have has slots for both Philadelphia and Denver minted quarters, and I'm trying to collect one from each of the two mints.

Here's a new meme for those of you in the States: Where were you, or what were you doing, when you first came across each of the state quarters?

Even though I can't remember many of the locations -- they probably came from vending machines, or change from restaurants or supermarkets -- I can remember my excitement at seeing another new state quarter.

1999
Delaware: Can't remember.
Pennsylvania: The home of one of my New Warrior brothers. There was one on the kitchen table.
New Jersey: At a Tim Horton's in Centerville, Ohio. There was one in the "send a kid to camp" box by the cash register.
Georgia: Can't remember.
Connecticut: From a vending machine at work (one job ago).

2000
Massachusetts: Can't remember.
Maryland: Can't remember.
South Carolina: From the cafeteria at work (current job).
New Hampshire: Can't remember. I think my wife brought one home for me.
Virginia: Can't remember.

2001
New York: Can't remember.
North Carolina: Can't remember. (Don't they have any other claim to fame besides "First In Flight"? Sheesh!)
Rhode Island: Can't remember.
Vermont: At the local Italian Fall Festa, put on by the Sons of Italy lodge in Ketternig, Ohio.
Kentucky: From the cafeteria at work.

2002
Tennessee: Can't remember.
Ohio: From the cafeteria at work.
Louisiana: Can't remember.
Indiana: Can't remember.
Mississippi: Can't remember. But I read about it on Thanksgiving weekend, in a magazine article, which included a picture of the reverse. It took me a while to realize they were magnolias. What I saw looked like a waterfall in high mountains.

2003
Illinois: Can't remember.
Alabama: See above.
Maine: Not out yet.
Missouri: Not out yet. But I heard a story on NPR last year about an artist who submitted a design, found out it was modified by the mint, and had stickers printed up containing the design as it was originally submitted.
Arkansas: Not out yet.

Comments

[pafuts.livejournal.com]

When the state quarters first came out I was working at Barnes & Noble as a manager. Part of my responsibilities when I was closing manager was the cash office countdown. Almost all of our state quarters came out of the register drawers. I kept non-state quarters with me to swap out when I found a new one. I also got our laundry quarters at work so I'd often get a roll of new quarters. But, finances didn't allow us to "collect" $20, we had to actually do the laundry!