America’s Beautiful Quarters: Collecting South Dakota History

There's something special about a quarter. To me, they are the quintessential coin. Pennies are quaint and basically worthless nowadays. Nickels are close behind pennies in the useless department. Dimes with their ten-cent value are a little more useful, but they are so small. I haven't seen a half-dollar coin in decades. I'm always on the lookout for a Sacagawea dollar coin, but those are rare, too.

But, the American quarter? That is twenty-five cents of real power. They are the Goldilocks coin. Perfect size and perfect worth. You only need four of them for a dollar. I feel less gross buying something using quarters than if I'm digging out dozens of nickels.

Quarters and 80s Arcade Memories

Maybe it's my age. I am a full-blown 80s kid. My formative years were spent in an endless quest for quarters because of video games.

READ MORE: South Dakota Town That was Nearly Wiped Off the Map by Smallpox

Yep, back in the olden days, the only way to play the best video games was a huge cabinet game at an arcade. Or, more likely, in a gas station or grocery store.

Those cabinet video games lived on quarters. So, I developed an affinity for the silver discs. If I have a pocket full of quarters, I feel like a king.

50 State Quarters Program Sparks Collecting

So, in 1999, when the U.S. Mint started its 50 State Quarters Program, showcasing each state and territory on the back of new coins, my collector gene was triggered. They became my Pokémon - gotta catch them all.

America the Beautiful Quarters Showcase Landmarks

Then, in 2010, the U.S. Mint started issuing America the Beautiful quarters. Each coin highlights a natural or historic site. They are really cool designs on the reserve of George Washington's portrait.

There are some expected choices like The Everglades for Florida or volcanoes for Hawai'i. There were also some nice surprises, like Frederick Douglass National Historic Site on Washington D.C.'s or War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam's.

RELATED: Sioux Falls' 1,600-year-old Burial Grounds

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