Tips For Assembling A Complete Set Of 50 State Quarters + A List Of All The Coins In This Popular Series And Their Dates

Collecting the 50 state quarters is a great way to get started in coin collecting!

But the truth is the statehood quarters are a coin set that is fun for everybody — whether you’ve been collecting coins for years, or if you’ve never collected coins before.

The biggest reason for this is because these quarters can be found in your everyday pocket change — so it’s very easy to complete a circulated set of 50 State quarters for face value!

Are you collecting the 50 state quarters?

I’m one of the estimated 147 million people who are collecting the 50 States Quarters series coins.

If you’re saving state quarters, then chances are you’ve got some questions:

• What does it take to complete the set on your own?
• What are the states, and what years were they released?
• How should you organize and store the state quarters in your collection?
• Do you have to collect both Philadelphia and Denver coins for a complete collection?
• How much will it cost to complete the entire collection of 50 States Quarters coins?

A List Of All 50 State Quarters & Their Dates

It took 10 years for the U.S. Mint to produce hundreds of millions of coins with each of the unique designs in the 50 States Quarters program.

The statehood quarters program began in 1999 and continued through 2008.

These endearing coins show us our country in all its colorful and amazing diversity. Cultural, historical, and societal icons, places, events, and people all appear on the 50 state quarters. This is one reason why the state quarters still resonate with all kinds of people — and likely will continue doing so for decades to come.

The 50 state quarters were released into circulation in the order that the statehoods came into existence.

State	Quarter Release Date	Statehood Date	Interesting Fact
Delaware	January 4, 1999	December 7, 1787	First state to ratify the Constitution.
Pennsylvania	March 8, 1999	December 12, 1787	Home to Liberty Bell and Benjamin Franklin.
New Jersey	May 17, 1999	December 18, 1787	Revolutionary War crossroads; nicknamed “The Garden State.”
Georgia	July 19, 1999	January 2, 1788	First cotton-producing state and home to Coca-Cola.
Connecticut	October 12, 1999	January 9, 1788	Known for its “Nutmeg State” nickname and insurance industry.
Massachusetts	January 3, 2000	February 6, 1788	Birthplace of the American Revolution and Boston Tea Party.
Maryland	March 13, 2000	April 28, 1788	Home to Chesapeake Bay and Fort McHenry.
South Carolina	May 22, 2000	May 23, 1788	Played a key role in the Civil War and known for its sweet tea.
New Hampshire	August 7, 2000	June 21, 1788	First state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Virginia	October 16, 2000	June 25, 1788	Home to eight U.S. presidents and Mount Vernon.
New York	January 2, 2001	July 26, 1788	Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and Niagara Falls.
North Carolina	March 12, 2001	November 21, 1789	First man-made flight by the Wright brothers.
Rhode Island	May 21, 2001	May 29, 1790	Smallest state and known for its clam chowder.
Vermont	August 6, 2001	March 4, 1791	Home to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Green Mountains.
Kentucky	October 15, 2001	June 1, 1792	Horse racing, bourbon, and Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace.
Tennessee	January 2, 2002	June 1, 1796	Country music capital, Graceland, and Smoky Mountains.
Ohio	March 11, 2002	March 1, 1803	Birthplace of seven U.S. presidents and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Louisiana	May 20, 2002	April 30, 1812	Famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations and Cajun culture.
Indiana	August 2, 2002	December 11, 1816	Known for Indianapolis 500 and basketball.
Mississippi	October 15, 2002	December 10, 1817	Birthplace of Elvis Presley and home to blues music.
Illinois	January 2, 2003	December 3, 1818	Chicago skyscrapers, Abraham Lincoln, and Route 66.
Alabama	March 17, 2003	December 14, 1819	Civil Rights Movement history and home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Maine	June 2, 2003	March 15, 1820	Acadia National Park and lobster rolls.
Missouri	August 4, 2003	August 10, 1821	Gateway Arch, Kansas City jazz, and Mark Twain’s birthplace.
Arkansas	October 20, 2003	June 15, 1836	Diamond State; known for its natural beauty and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Michigan	January 26, 2004	January 26, 1837	Longest freshwater coastline in the world: At a whopping 3,288 miles.
California	January 31, 2005	September 9, 1850	Golden State, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley.
Minnesota	April 4, 2005	May 11, 1858	Land of 10,000 Lakes and home to Mall of America.
Oregon	June 6, 2005	February 14, 1859	Diverse landscapes from mountains to coast; known for eco-friendly culture.
Kansas	August 29, 2005	January 29, 1861	Sunflower State, known for its role in the Civil War and Wizard of Oz connection.
West Virginia	October 14, 2005	June 20, 1863	Mountain State with rich history and natural beauty.
Nevada	January 30, 2006	October 31, 1864	Silver State, known for gambling and entertainment.
Nebraska	April 3, 2006	March 1, 1867	Cornhusker State, home to the Great Plains and Chimney Rock.
Colorado	June 14, 2006	August 1, 1876	Rocky Mountains, skiing, and outdoor adventures.
North Dakota	August 28, 2006	November 2, 1889	Peace Garden State, known for its agriculture and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
South Dakota	November 6, 2006	November 2, 1889	Mount Rushmore State, with Black Hills and Badlands National Park.
Montana	January 29, 2007	November 8, 1889	Big Sky Country, known for its vast wilderness and Glacier National Park.
Washington	April 2, 2007	November 11, 1889	Evergreen State, home to Seattle, Puget Sound, and Olympic National Park.
Idaho	June 4, 2007	July 3, 1890	Gem State, known for its potatoes and natural beauty.
Wyoming	September 4, 2007	July 10, 1890	Cowboy State, Yellowstone National Park, and Grand Teton National Park.
Utah	November 5, 2007	January 4, 1896	Beehive State, known for its Mormon heritage and stunning red rock landscapes.
Oklahoma	January 28, 2008	November 16, 1907	Sooner State, known for its Native American history and oil industry.
New Mexico	April 2008	January 6, 1912	Land of Enchantment, diverse cultures, and natural wonders like White Sands National Park.
Arizona	June 2008	February 14, 1912	Grand Canyon State, known for its deserts, canyons, and Native American heritage.
Alaska	August 2008	January 3, 1959	Last Frontier, known for its vast wilderness and wildlife.
Hawaii	October 2008	August 21, 1959	Aloha State, known for its beaches, volcanoes, and unique culture.

Should You Collect 1 Or 2 Quarters For Each Design?

You may be wondering, should you collect both Philadelphia and Denver minted quarters for each design? Or is just one example of each design enough?

The answer is really a matter of deciding what is right for you:

• On the one hand, collecting one example of each Philadelphia and Denver design gives you examples of all the circulating 50 State Quarters.
• On the other hand, because the designs are the same on the Philadelphia and Denver quarters (except for the mint mark, which is a “P” for Philadelphia coins and a “D” for Denver), it suits a lot of people, including myself, to simply collect one nice example of each design, regardless of mint mark.

The second example above is typically called a “date set.” These are easier to collect by basic virtue of the fact there are fewer coins to find (or purchase) in order to complete a collection. Therefore, date sets are also less expensive to complete.

How Much Does It Cost To Build A Complete Set Of 50 State Quarters?

If you’re building a complete 50 States Quarters set from the coins you find in circulation, it will cost you only face value to finish the set. That would amount to:

• $12.50 for 1 example of each state quarter design
• $25 for 2 examples for each state design (including both the Philadelphia and Denver mintmarks)

If you want to buy uncirculated examples of the quarters from a coin dealer, expect to spend at least:

• $30 for a complete set consisting of 1 example of each state quarter design
• $60 and up for collections including 2 examples for each state design (50 Philadelphia mint coins and 50 Denver mint coins).

2 Simple Ways To Organize & Store Your 50 States Quarters

To store your complete 50 States Quarters set, you’ll want either state quarter map boards or state quarter folders (or albums). They can be found at most coin dealers’ stores.

Here are some differences between the two:

State Quarter Maps (Or Boards)

The easiest way to collect state quarters is to buy a 50 States Quarters map, which is specially designed just for these commemorative coins. The map of the United States has an illustration for each state and an opening to place the corresponding state quarter. Quarter maps are also a great way to get kids into the hobby!

State Quarter Folders (Or Albums)

If you’re a little more serious about coin collecting and you want your state quarter collection to include all of the quarters, then you’ll probably want to get a 50 States Quarters folder. Cardboard coin folders are the least expensive way to store your coins. They can be easily found at most bookstores and coin dealers — and they generally cost less than $10 each.

State Quarter Albums vs. Maps

The biggest difference between state quarter maps and state quarter folders is that the state folder (or album) doesn’t have illustrations of the states.

But it does have 2 corresponding holes for each state instead of 1. One is labeled “P” and one is labeled “D” — because 2 different mints produced these coins. Those with a P mint mark were made at the Pennsylvania mint. Those with a D mint mark were made at the Denver mint.

Coin folders are best if you’re collecting one example of each state quarter from each mint facility.

Coin maps are best if you’re only saving one of each state quarter, regardless of the U.S. mint facility it was made in.

3 Other Ways To Collect 50 State Quarter Sets

There are a few other ways to collect the 50 state quarters. Here are a few of them…

50 State Quarter Proof Sets

When the US Mint was still releasing 50 State Quarters every year, I used to buy the new quarters in proof sets. A proof set is an assemblage of collector coins that the US Mint sells each year.

A proof coin is a struck by specially prepared dies on polished coin blanks, resulting in a beautiful, virtually flawless coin that contains mirror-like surfaces and frosted designs and lettering.

The US Mint offered a few different kinds of 50 State Quarters proof sets:

• 5-piece copper-nickel clad 50 States Quarter proof sets — These contain only proof examples of the clad quarters you’ll find in circulation. Most of these 5-piece proof sets sell for less than $7 each.
• 5-piece silver 50 States Quarter proof sets — This set includes each of the quarters from a given year in a 90% silver format. Silver 50 State Quarter proof sets are generally priced between $10 and $30 each.
• Regular proof sets with 50 States Quarters — If you want proof examples of the copper-nickel clad quarters and all of the other circulating coins that were made that year, then you’ll want to buy the “regular” proof set. A regular proof set contains the 5 proof quarters plus a cent, nickel, dime, half dollar, and dollar coin (the latter for proof sets made from 2000-2008).
• Silver proof set with 50 States Quarters — This pretty much includes the same basic coins as described in the previous “regular” proof set except the dime and half dollar are — like the quarters — made from 90% silver.

Proof sets are usually packaged with coins made at the San Francisco, or “S” mint (there are some rare exceptions). Current-year proof sets can be purchased directly from the United States Mint. Older proof sets, like those containing 50 State Quarters, can be bought from your local coin dealer, online coin dealers, or on auction websites like eBay.

50 State Quarter Uncirculated Sets

Another fun way to collect state quarters is to buy them in uncirculated mint sets.

These special collector sets are packaged and sold by the US Mint and since 1959 have included one uncirculated example of each circulating coin from each mint striking them — generally the Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint.

From 1999 through 2008, US Mint uncirculated sets included:

• 2 Lincoln pennies (one each from Philadelphia and Denver)
• 2 Jefferson nickels (one each from Philadelphia and Denver)
• 2 Roosevelt dimes (one each from Philadelphia and Denver)
• 10 State quarters (2 examples of each of the 5 states honored in a given year, with one specimen from Philadelphia and another from Denver)
• 2 Kennedy half dollars (one each from Philadelphia and Denver)
• From 2000 to 2006, there were 2 Sacagawea dollars, one from Philadelphia and another from Denver
• In 2007 and 2008 there were 8 dollar coins, 2 for each of the 4 presidents honored in the Presidential $1 coin series, with one from Philadelphia and another from Denver)

Most of the uncirculated mint sets made during the 50 States Quarters can be bought today for less than $15 to $20 each, though a couple are a little more expensive because they’re scarcer.

If you want to buy older mint sets containing 50 State Quarters for your coin collection, you’ll need to buy them from a coin dealer or on an online auction site.

Interested in buying new uncirculated mint sets? You can buy them directly from the US Mint.

50 State Quarter Novelty Gifts

You’ve probably seen 50 State Quarter holiday ornaments, state quarter spoons, colorized 50 State Quarters, and even first-day covers with postage stamps.

So many people ask me if these state quarter gifts are valuable. I always hate to break the news that these novelty coin items are almost worthless from a numismatic perspective.

There were just too many of these products made — and there aren’t enough collectors who want them.

So, no, unfortunately you’re colored Ohio quarter isn’t valuable. Neither is your California quarter spoon, Delaware quarter Christmas ornament, or your Florida quarter first day cover.

However, that does NOT mean that these aren’t really neat items to collect if you like them!

As I tell so many readers at The Fun Times Guide… don’t collect coins for what they’re worth — collect the coins you like.

Coin collecting isn’t meant to be a get-rich-quick pursuit. It’s a hobby to be enjoyed for what it is: collecting coins.

If you happen to make some money when you sell your coins, then great. It’s icing on the cake. But if you just collect the coins you like, you’ll have more fun!

So, if you want to collect all 50 of the 50 State Quarters spoons, go for it — it may be harder to complete than you think. Good luck.