2009-D Northern Mariana Islands Quarter

The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth of the United States. They were honored with the last of the Territorial quarters back in 2009. Their six thousand year history is typical of remote island that encounters the western world.

On the quarter is the limestone latte used as the foundation for native housing. There is a canoe used by Carolinians, which were a group of local transported to the island after the natives died off. Flora and fauna include two white fairy terns and a Carolinian head lei with native plants.

The history of Northern Mariana Islands started with Asians making what is thought to be the longest canoe journey to an uninhabited island. Then 5,000 years later Spaniards landed claimed the island and sneezed. Most natives died and the Spaniards transported nearby Caroline Islands native to repopulate. After being turned over to Germany and taken by the Japanese eventually the U.S. occupied and made them a commonwealth.

Type/Country: 25 Cents-Northern Mariana Islands / United States
Year: 2009 D
Mintage: 37,600,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

Do you have a quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2009-P Guam Quarter

Even I admit that trying to find every coin ever made in my change can be overwhelming. I try and keep track of all them but many slip by. Most of the territorial quarters made in 2009 are some that I did not find. Finally I got one that escaped my grasp.

On the quarter is a relief map of Guam. It has a hand carved boat and a stone base for native homes. The natives known as the Chamorro have their language as the motto. Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro, which means Guam - Land of the Chamorro.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Guam / United States
Year: 2009 P
Mintage: 45,000,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.35 in F-12

Do you have a state quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2009-S District of Columbia Quarter

Almost a year after finding a proof cent in my change I find a proof quarter. Modern proof coins generally have an S (San Fransisco) mint mark and are not circulated. The only way they get circulated is when someone purposely puts it in circulation because it lacks any extra value.

The coin is from the American Territories series made after the State Quarters were minted. This is the same one as the circulating District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) version. It features Duke Ellington sitting at his piano and the motto Justice For All.

There many reason for dumping proof into the circulating but the most common happens when collectors buy many proofs sets and then cherry pick the best. The best are graded and sell for high prices. The rest are then sold for albums for a few dollars, those that are not sold have no real extra value and can still be used for face value.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Washington D.C. / United States
Year: 2009 S
Mintage: 2,113,478
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.35 in F-12

Do you have a state quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Northern Most Americas

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I am really stretching with these finds. They were put aside back when I was not finding anything good so I guess I have to write something about them.

In case anybody was wondering how about my methodology here it goes:

1. Check all coins and bills
2. Place on desk anything new, old, weird, or foreign
3. Line them up in front of the computer for pictures and post
4. Rinse hands
5. Repeat

 Occasionally if I get something super-great I break the cycle but that does not happen often.

 

Here's the stats...

Type/Country: 1 Cent / Canada
Year: 1999
Mintage: 1,089,625,000
Metal: 98% Copper, 0.5% Tin, 1.5% Zinc
Value: $0.01 in F

Type/Country: 25 Cents-American Samoa / United States
Year: 2009 P
Mintage: 42,600,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

Do you have a coin from America or Canada and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2009 Late Arrivals

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As some may know 2009 was a low coin production year. That meant that finding some coins has been difficult, dimes and nickels in particular. While even lower minted quarters have been popping up without much looking.

Then suddenly last week three 2009 dimes just showed up in my change.

2009-P Dime

2009-P Northern Mariana Islands Quarter

The Denver dimes actually had a lower circulation but Denver coins are always more of a hassle to find in the east coast.  Now the quarter is actually the lowest minted quarter in years but it is one of six designs which tends to lower the productions anyway.

People were hoarding 2009 dimes and nickels  because of  low mintage. But these quarters and certain dollar coins had a lower mintage and they were not so highly publicized.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Cents / United States
Year: 2009 P 

Mintage: 96,500,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.10  

Type/Country: 25 Cents-Northern Mariana Islands / United States
Year: 2009 P
Mintage: 35,200,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

Not counting the half dollars, since they are not officially circulating, the lowest minted coin for 2009 was the Native American Dollar at 33,880,000. The Northern Mariana Islands quarter is the second lowest.

Do you have a quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Edward Kennedy Quarter

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Gothca! Sort of.

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington the composer, artist, and great musician is who I'm talking about. Finally, after its initial release on January 26, 2009, I got one of these quarters at this particular time. One thing that slowed its circulation was a famous doubled die error surrounding the ELL and the piano keys.

The one pictured below was plucked out of my change after an art store visit. It is not special or doubled in any way, it is not even shiny. Still I got it, leaving only Guam and American Samoa still not found for this year.

I've always been a fan of Duke Ellington but it seems odd to put him on a quarter. Yet this wasn't the real controversy. Once the design and figure were chosen a motto was placed on the coin saying "Taxation Without Representation" which was quickly rejected by the mint. The motto Justice For All was used instead.

The District of Columbia residents must pay federal taxes but they do not get a vote in Congress. I always thought this would be our 51st state quickly followed by Puerto Rico being our 52nd but that has yet to happen.


Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Washington D.C. / United States
Year: 2009 P
Mintage: 88,800,000 (Estimated)
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

For those wondering I still haven't found any 2009 nickels or dimes.

Do you have a state quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2009 is Finally Here

Do you have a quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

145 days into the year and I finally get a 2009 coin. Friends and family members who just collect state and territorial quarters have found every current design including the D.C. quarter. I on the other hand haven't seen anything new since Alaska, Hawaii escapes me.

Unlike most I was in favor of adding the U.S. territories to the state quarter program but the addition of National parks for the next 11 years is just ridiculous. In 2004 Daniel Carr made the following design which I think is better than the one that is currently used. His other design were good enough to made for New York and Rhode Island.

Compare it now to the design chosen by a Puerto Rican Commission.

Nice enough but no coquí.

On the circulating coin "Isle of Enchantment" is written in Spanish "Isla del Encanto" above the Puerto Rican hibiscus, Puerto Rico's state flower. The building is the Sentry Box at San Cristobal Fort, El Morro, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

All people from Puerto Rico have been U.S. citizens since 1917 and the island became a territory in 1952. By 1998 America asked for an indefinite extension before allowing Puerto Rico to become independent or a new state.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Puerto Rico / United States
Year: 2009P
Mintage: 53,200,000 (Estimated)
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

I would add that the mintage is about 1/8th the normal mintage and other coins this year follow a similar low production.

Do you have a special quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.