You might call it weird, I call it quirky

Little known fact: I collect quarters.

Not coins, I don't care about nickles, dimes, pennies, half-dollars...just quarters. And not just any quarters, the 'new' quarters. You know, the ones with states on them?

I'm not entirely sure where this fascination began. However, I am sure that my Grandad must have had something to do with it. I remember that he always had drawerfuls of pennies in his office. Sometimes I would arrange them all in order of year - often into elaborate designs spread across the floor. This provided hours of entertainment. I also remember visiting an old mint in New Orleans where he explained that they didn't make money there anymore, now there were only 2 mints where coins were minted - Denver and Philadelphia. I'm sure that this sparked a round of questions from me, but why do they need new money? Do they get rid of the old money? But Grandad, how can they make more money without earning any money? I'm also sure by this point, my sister had completely tuned-out from extreme boredom. Whatever Les, this is interesting stuff.

When the state quarter program began in 1999, introducing new state-specific quarters in the order that the states joined the Union, I was hooked. Quarters for each state, so cool! (what, no one else thinks this is fun?) I was so disappointed that I'd have to wait until 2004 for Texas. To a freshman in High School, 5 years = forever!

I'm still not sure how it started, but I began hanging on to the different states as I came across them. And my Grandad gave me a collectors book with a map of the US with spaces to hold each state quarter. I dililgently checked every quarter I came across in hopes of finding a state that I needed.

After awhile, it became a habit. Checking coins whenever I had change, putting away the ones I needed so I didn’t spend them, finally adding Texas to my collection. It’s just something I do, so I don’t really think much of it. That is until I talk to my Mom…

I would categorize my Mom and Grandad as Super Collectors. Because if you're going to collect quarters, you must do so correctly! Their books don’t have maps, they have spaces for 2 of each quarter, marked with either a D’s for Denver or P’s for Philly. Yeah, that’s right – D quarters and P quarters.

See, down south, most of the coins are from the Denver mint, so Philly quarters are hard to come by. Fast forward to my post-college life in NYC…so close to all those much-desired P quarters! Naturally this spurred a P quarter frenzy. Welcome to my life.

I now keep a list of the P quarters Mom needs in my wallet. Every laundry weekend Mom inevitably asks a series of related questions –

“Did you find any P quarters for me?!” “Oh, Grandad’s book needs Iowa, can you find an Iowa?" “Didn’t you bring Grandad a Wyoming P quarter? I guess he misplaced it, can you look for another one?”

When my Mom comes to the City, you better believe she hits up the bank for $20 worth of quarters just so she can increase her odds of finding one she needs. One Christmas she even sent me $20 to bring back P quarters. I wish I was kidding... I don’t think I will be allowed to move out of New York until we have completed this endless P quarter search.

In the final year of releasing new state quarters, I have yet to see Hawaii and am still on the lookout for a handful of others. The end is in sight! With these last few quarters my collection will be complete and so will Mom and Grandad’s*.

So should you ever see me sifting through my change, flipping over coins, glancing at each one just in case it’s one that I need, just ignore me. I don’t even realize that I do it anymore. Also, should you suddenly feel the desire to check your quarters for P’s or D’s, I really need Hawaii – and Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Michigan, Utah, Washington! :)

*Special Note: I should also mention that my Grandad passed away last year, so Mom and I are completing his collection for him. Because how can we not?