Bicentennial Washington Quarters in Central NJ

[macrocoin]

Is it just me, or has someone released a whole lot of these into circulation over the past couple of weeks in the central NJ area? I usually seperate them from my change when I come across them but for at least 5-10 years, it has been the rare occasion when I notice one in change. Over the last 10 days I have gotten 5 bicentennials in change at random shops in both NJ and PA. After a few consecutive days of coming across these coins, I assume that someone had been hoarding them and recently dropped them in at the bank. Maybe its just a coincidence...I dont know.

 

Just got another one at lunchtime!

[drwstr123]

Yeah, I spend them in NJ. (Marlboro-Freehold) I went to Seaside Boardwalk last week with about eight rolls of half dollars and caused quite a stir. Some kids never saw them before! Mike

[zrlevin]

I've been getting an unusually high number as well...

[cladking]

There were two effects that seemed to happen almost as soon as the states quarters started circulating. These seemed to start getting drawn out of change more slowly and they most definitely started flowing into circulation more quickly. Between 1975 and 1999 only about 20% of these were in circulation at any given time. These almost invariably grade much higher than even quarters from the late 1980's because they spend so much time in sock drawers. However their incidence has been creeping higher and higher as hoarders learn that typical examples have no premium and there are lots of other interesting coins to save. Close to 85% are in circulation now and since attrition has been lower on these it means they're everywhere. With about 39 billion quarters in circulation there are a little less than a billion of these which means there is nearly one per roll.

[MunkyMan95]

If they're going back into circulation, will the price on UNC examples go higher or lower?

[EZ_E]

It should be negligable.

[cladking]

If they're going back into circulation, will the price on UNC examples go higher or lower?

 

Probably not since there is still a large percentage of the mintage that is not circulating and many of these are uncs. Also those freshly returned to circulation remain high grade. There are additionally a lot of uncs going into circulation from fresh rolls and this is much more beneficial to their long term potential but there are vast numbers held back.

 

I may be wrong but I still believe that the potential of nice gems of these is excellent. There are very few gems in rolls and collectors have not selectively sought them in mint sets. There is little more depth to the supply of MS-66 and better than for other quarters of that era but the demand could be exponentially higher because of type collectors.

[EZ_E]

There is little more depth to the supply of MS-66 and better than for other quarters of that era but the demand could be exponentially higher because of type collectors.

 

True. I just bought a NGC MS66 from Coinman1794 for my registry set.