Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts

Commemorative coins honor American people, places, events, and institutions. As defined by the U.S. Mint, commemorative coins are legal tender (however they are not minted for general circulation), they’re produced in limited quantities, and they’re available for only a limited amount of time. Since most people think of any coin that honors a person, place, or thing as a commemorative coin, we also include coins minted for circulation in this category. Some examples are the 50 States Quarters (1999-2008), Lincoln Bicentennial Pennies (2009), and America The Beautiful Quarters (2010-2021). Here, coin experts share everything you need to know about collecting U.S. commemorative coins.