1978-D QUARTER DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 297,373,152
Designer: John Flanagan
Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
Thickness: ±1.75 millimeters
Metal content: Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center - 100% Copper
Weight: ±5.7 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: "D" on the obverse just right of the ribbon
Value: $1.00 (MS-63) up to $5.00 (MS-65)

No picture today. I was just too tired last night to deal with much more than eating and sleeping. and since it's only been a week since the last 1978-D Quarter and there was nothing unique about todays... well, lets just say you are not missing much due to my failure to post a picture.

Hope everyone is gearing up for a Happy New Years Eve!

2000-D FIVE CENTS

Circulation strikes: 1,509,520,000
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: ±21.21 millimeters
Thickness: ±1.95 millimeters
Metal content: Copper - 75% Nickel - 25%
Weight: ±5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: "D" (for Denver) below the date on the lower right obverse
Value: $0.25 (MS-63) up to $1.00 (MS-65)

2008-D HAWAII QUARTER DOLLAR

Designer: John Flanagan

Modified by Don Everhart

Diameter: ±24.2 millimeters

Metal content:

Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel

Center - 100% Copper

Weight: ±5.67 grams

Thickness: ±1.75 mm

Edge: Reeded

Mintmark: "D" (for Denver) on the obverse just right of the ribbon

The first "Hawaii" quarter to find it's way into my change, and just barely before the end of the year. Though the begining of 2009 will still find a few holes in 50 State Quarter circulation set, I'll at least have one from each state (just missing a few 'Philidelphia' mint quarters).

Anyway, hope everyone had a wonderfull holiday, and wishing everyone a happy new year.

1978-D QUARTER DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 297,373,152
Designer: John Flanagan
Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
Thickness: ±1.75 millimeters
Metal content:
Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center - 100% Copper
Weight: ±5.7 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: "D" on the obverse just right of the ribbon
Value: $1.00 (MS-63) up to $5.00 (MS-65)

Nothing exciting today, except to wish everyone a happy holiday! Hope everyone is enjoying a little time with the family and away from work!

1969-D HALF DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 129,881,800
Designer: Obverse by Gilroy Roberts; reverse by Frank Gasparro
Diameter: ±31 millimeters
Metal Content:
Outer layers - 80% Silver, 20% Copper
Center - 79% Copper, 21% Silver
Weight: ±11.5 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: "D" (for Denver) centered above the date
Value: $3.50 (MS-63)

What a pleasant surprise. Fifty Cent pieces are uncommon enough in circulation, but to get one that is 40% silver (and qualifies as 'older than me') is an especially nice treat.

About the lack of posting the last few days... things have gotten crazy busy both at work and at home. And when available time is in short supply holding my babies takes priority over preparing coin posts. With any luck the crazies will subside soon…

1975-D ONE CENT

Circulation strikes: 4,505,275,300

Designer: Obverse: Victor David Brenner

Reverse: Frank Gasparro

Diameter: ±19 millimeters

Metal content: Copper - 95% Tin and Zinc - 5%

Weight: ±3.11 grams

Edge: Plain

Mintmark: "D" (for Denver) below the date

Value: $0.25 (MS-65)

I just couldn’t do it. Had to stage my own little boycott. Thing is, yet again the oldest coin in my pocket was a 1965 quarter dollar. They’ve been like weeds lately. The way I figure it, if the Mint is correct about the average circulation coin lasting 30 years we can calculate a probability curve using that as the mean, and if we assume a normal probability distribution for coins being lost or destroyed… that gives us a standard deviation of 6 and, if our assumptions aren’t too far off the mark, some 98.4870% of those 1965 Quarters should be gone my now… but that still leaves more than 27 Million of them in circulation, not taking into consideration hoarding, collecting, etc. Guess that’s what happens when you mint more than 1.8 billion quarters in a single year…

1990-D FIVE CENTS

Circulation strikes: 663,938,503
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 21.2 millimeters
Metal content: Copper - 75% Nickel - 25%
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: Small "D" below the date on the lower right obverse
Value: $0.25 (MS-63) up to $1.00 (MS-65)

1969-S FIVE CENTS

Circulation strikes: 120,075,000
Proofs: 2,934,631
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 21.2 millimeters
Metal content:
Copper - 75%
Nickel - 25%
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: "S" (for San Francisco) above the building on the reverse
Value: $0.25 (MS-63) up to $1.00 (MS-65/PF-65)

Always happy to find an "S" mint coin in my change!

1967 QUARTER DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 1,524,031,848

Special Mint Set: 1,863,344

Designer: John Flanagan

Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters

Metal Content: Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel

Center - 100% Copper

Weight: ±5.7 grams

Edge: Reeded

Mintmark: None

Value: $1.00 (MS-63) up to $6.00 (MS-65)

1972-D FIVE CENT

Circulation strikes: 351,694,600
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 21.2 millimeters
Metal content:
Copper - 75%
Nickel - 25%
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: Small "D" (for Denver) below the date on the lower right obverse

Value: $0.25 (MS-63) up to $1.00 (MS-65)

I’m always please, and unreasonably happy, when my change turns up a coin I haven’t posted yet. Sometimes it’s nice to be happy about the little things.

1965 QUARTER DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 1,819,717,540
Designer: John Flanagan
Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
Metal Content:
Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center - 100% Copper
Weight: ±5.7 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: None
Value: $1.00 (MS-63) up to $6.00 (MS-65)

How old does a coin need to be to qualify as interesting?
When it comes to pocket change I’ve always set aside coins that fall into one of a couple broad categories… I don’t have one yet, Different metal content, different design, and older than me. But is ‘older than me” the right standard for a coin’s age? Given that the mint defines the expected circulation lifespan of a coin as thirty years it seems, on the surface, reasonable to expect that coins beyond that age would start to become less common in circulation. So should I switch to a rolling thirty year age as the definition of worth saving? Since I’m older than that it would mean an increase in the amount of “junk” coin I’m setting aside. I’ll think on it more. Maybe find some compromise where age translates to an increase in maximum number stashed away.

1974 QUARTER DOLLAR

Circulation strikes: 801,456,000
Designer: Obverse: John Flanagan
Reverse: by Jack L. Ahr
Diameter: ±24.3 millimeters
Metal Content: Outer layers - 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center - 100% Copper
Weight: ±5.7 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: None
Value: $1.00 (MS-63) up to $5.00 (MS-65)

1954-D FIVE CENTS

Circulation strikes: 117,183,060
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 22.1 millimeters
Metal content:
Copper – 75%
Nickel – 25%
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: “D” (for Denver) to the right of the building on the reverse
Value: $0.60 (MS-60) up to $1.50 (MS-65)

I commented yesterday that I might have to raid my stash of unsorted coin to find something to post today.
…or I could raid the wife’s purse. As it turns out the wife had some decent change. Best of the lot was this 1954-D Five Cent. Maybe not all nice and pretty, but anything from the ‘50s (or earlier) is a good find in any condition.

So I spent a bit of time sorting coin yesterday, and was surprised to realize that I don’t have any 1999-P Delaware state quarters in my circulation coins… none, zip, zero. Since I’ve kept all the state quarters that came my way it seems odd that I wouldn’t have at least one. On the up side, it gives me something to actively search for as I fill out that first coin album (circulation state quarters)

1999-P TEN CENTS

Circulation strikes: 2,164,000,000
Designer: John R. Sinnock
Diameter: ±17.9 millimeters
Thickness: ±1.35 millimeters
Metal content:
Outer layers: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Center: 100% Copper
Weight: ±2.27 grams
Edge: Reeded
Mintmark: None
Value: $0.75 (MS-65)

Taking the day off… well, not really. Staying at home doing "Daddy Day Care" while the wife testifies in a court case. But this means a little coin time between feedings and diaper changes, so today I'm spending a bit of time sorting through the coins that have been collecting in the 'might be interesting' box, and since I'm unlikely to get out of the house and collect any more change today, what with tending to twin infants, I'll probably post something from today's sorting tomorrow. It's still just coins from circulation, so there won't be anything exciting, but at least it's a stash of 'older than me' coins to choose from.

1976-D ONE CENT

Circulation strikes: 4,221,592,455
Designer:
Obverse by Victor David Brenner
Reverse by Frank Gasparro
Diameter: ±19.05 millimeters
Thickness: ±1.55 millimeters
Metal content:
Copper - 95%
Tin and Zinc - 5%
Weight: ±3.11 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: "D" (for Denver) below the date
Value: $0.25 (MS-65)

Nothing really special today. The best of the pocket change was a “there’s still copper in it” Cent.

I recently picked up a coin album. I haven’t had one of these since I was a kid, but I’ve been less then pleased with the boxes full of 2x2 holders as a method of storing the more contemporary circulation coins. I think I’m sold. Now I just need to decide on which coin albums to buy… I’ve heard that Dansco is the way to go but I’m not certain if I want to use their “Supreme Albums” or the binders. Maybe I’ll pick up one of each and see which I like better.

1943-S FIVE CENTS

Circulation strikes: 104,060,000
Designer: Felix Schlag
Diameter: 21.2 millimeters
Metal content:
Copper - 56%
Silver - 35%
Manganese - 9%
Weight: 5 grams
Edge: Plain
Mintmark: "S" (for San Francisco) above the building on the reverse
Value: $1.00 (VF-20) up to 15.00 (MS-65)

I'm not usually a big fan of Starbucks coffee… during the winter, however, they have a rather tasty Spiced Pumpkin Latte. So, when I needed some late night caffeine and was restless to get out of the house I headed over to the local Starbucks… and discovered something else to like… wireless. Using the same provider I use at home. Which means free, no hassle internet at the coffee shop. No asking for an access code, no charge, no nothing. Just enter the same login credentials that I use at the house… and Presto! Instant internet. I also discovered a wartime nickel in my change during that trip to Starbucks. A nice addition to the long weekend!