As pennies, nickels, and dimes seem to be playing a lesser, direct role in commerce (because prices keep going up, up, up!), it appears that the U.S. quarter remains perhaps the most important and most used coin in our everyday transactions.

Quarters are used in everything from toll booth payments to vending machines. And with only 4 needed to obtain a dollar, they remain among the most convenient of coins to use.

Quarters are equally important to coin collectors. Many numismatists love quarters. After all, not only do they represent a vital part of our economy and commerce, there are also many types (designs) of quarters that our nation has minted, keeping collectors busy and intrigued.

The category of "silver quarters" is quite broad and, thus, includes a number of different designs, dates of production, and values.

In fact, until 1965, all quarters produced in the United States contained silver. In 1965, the U.S. Mint was forced to switch quarter compositions over to copper-nickel clad as silver prices were rising very quickly; the value of the silver in the quarter was actually worth more than the face value of the coin.

Furthermore, people all across the country were pulling silver coins out of circulation, creating a national coin shortage.

Where To Find Silver Quarters

While the U.S. Mint has stopped producing silver quarters for circulation, the Mint does still strike silver quarters for collectors. In fact, the U.S. Mint's online catalog shows that the 2008 50 State Quarters are being offered in a 90% silver format, as have all issues of the 50 state quarters program.

Furthermore, the U.S. Mint has been offering silver Washington quarters for collectors since 1992. Silver Washington quarters of the recent era (minted since 1992) are proofs, and are found in special collector's sets that the U.S. Mint assembles and sells annually.

In 1975 and 1976, the U.S. Mint struck collector's Bicentennial quarters with a 40% silver composition.

As the 50 State Quarters Program winds down in 2008, coin collectors everywhere have begun snapping up whatever they can in order to complete their collections of these famous collectibles.

While millions of people have been collecting 50 state quarters by pulling the coins out of circulation, others have been buying 50 state quarters proof sets as a means of collecting beautiful examples of the 50 designs the U.S. Mint produced between 1999 and 2008.

Those collecting coins from pocket change are probably wondering:

What kinds of coins can I find in circulation?

While it is theoretically possible to find any legal tender coin in circulation, including old and even rare issues, the likelihood of finding such coins in your pocket change is small (but not impossible).

This brings us to remember that the grand majority of the coins to be found in circulation today are primarily from among the cent, nickel, dime, and quarter denominations, and are usually coins struck from sometime during the last few decades.

Half-dollars have not been regularly seen in circulation in many years (but can be found at banks), and dollar coins have yet to reach their circulation potential -- many can be found at banks, some stores, and certain vending machines which operate for transit authorities and the U.S. Postal Service.

More than two decades before the 50 State Quarters and three decades before the Presidential Dollar Series, the United States had a circulating commemorative coin program that lasted 2 years and proved popular among the masses:

The Bicentennial coin designs on U.S. circulating quarters, half-dollars, and dollar coins.

New coin collectors looking to add silver coins to their collections need to know 2 things:

1. Silver coins have not been seen in general circulation since the 1960s, and therefore will be difficult to obtain without shopping for them at a coin dealer.

2. Many silver coins can be had for only a nominal mark-up over the bullion value, making some silver coins very easy to afford.

Chances are, you have probably run across a few pieces of coin jewelry in your time.

Coin jewelry is any coin that has been altered due to drilling, cutting, faceting, plating, or all of the above.

Is it legal? Is it worth anything?

In a previous article I wrote about coin folders and gave some suggestions on how to collect coins using them.

But maybe you found or inherited a folder that's already complete, or you just completed your own.

How much is it worth?

In my last article I wrote about coin folders; but most coin collectors also have coins in some sort of individual holders. Especially the little cardboard ones with a plastic window in the middle -- I think they've been using those for most of the last century!

The fact is, coin holders are one of the best ways to keep your coins safe.

If you're like the average person who has only had brief contact with coin collecting, you've probably seen or owned at least one of those classic blue Whitman coin folders.

You know, the ones with the picture of the coin on the front and cardboard with lots of little round holes inside.