50 Quarters

Today, I got the Hawaii state quarter, thus completing my 50 state quarter collection. It's a little weird to think I've been collecting state quarters for around ten years at this point; I'm not 100% sure when I started, but definitely by March 2000 at the latest. Having only 5 quarters released per year meant it was a slow task and, by my rules, not very active.

I decided when I started to collect them, that the quarters had to come to me, either in change, or from someone I knew. At the end of 2003, with my 23rd quarter, Maine, I started writing down when I got them. Looking back, I see some years I only got 4 quarters, which undoubtedly enhances the feeling of inactivity for the quest. Last year, I actually got 6, but not the final Hawaii coin. It was released November 3, 2008, so not bad, time-wise.

I don't have one of those maps for my quarters, either. Just a tin with some buttons and other items (so that is where my whistle is!). Maybe someday I'll do something else with them, but right now the collector part of me is pretty pleased to be done!