Disclaimer: This article is filled with "facts" about state history and the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarter Program. If you write a research paper using the information provided here you're likely to get an F. Don't write an angry email just because you're even lazier than the author to look up the real information.

I've already talked a bit about the State Quarter Program so now it's time to start looking at the actual quarters and there's no better place to start than the first state quarter minted. Not only is Delaware the focus of the first quarter but it's also one of my favorite states. The design of the quarter is fairly simple with the image of a man riding a horse prominently displayed. Who is this man? Since I don't see any windmills I can rule out Don Quixote and since most people don't know who that is they are left wondering what Paul Revere has to do with Delaware. More on that later.

What piqued my curiosity were the words "The First State." What could Delaware be first in? It's not first in size. Texas wins that contest. (Sorry, Alaska, but everything is bigger in Texas even the populace's concept of how big their state is.) Maybe it's the smallest? Nope. The deceptively name Rhode Island can claim that title. It could be dealing with the order it was minted but every one knows "1 of 50" would have been a better draw to collectors. It turns out Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, not only making it the first actual state but it also means for a brief period of time our country was known as the State of America. That state was loneliness. And Delaware.

Now let talk about a man and his horse. The man's name is Caesar and the horse is Rodney. Together they formed one of the first traveling comedy act. Their routines primarily involved slapstick with Caesar falling victim to Rodney's tricks. This often involved Rodney steering the riding Caesar into low hanging branches or stopping short causing Caesar to tumble off into a conveniently place hay bale. In their most famous routine Caesar would go through preparations to saddle Rodney. Caesar would bend over to pick up the saddle on the ground behind Rodney. As he did so, Rodney would kick Caesar in the pantaloons causing Caesar to straighten and turn to look for his assailant. Seeing only Rodney, Caesar would scratch his head wondering who had attacked him before bending down for the saddle again so the whole process could repeat. They would continue this until the audience was hoarse from laughter and couldn't take any more.

During the American Revolution Caesar and Rodney often performed shows for the troops. In what was meant to be his most spectacular show Caesar planned to perform for Washington and his troops before their famous crossing of the Delaware. Unfortunately due to some bad directions Caesar later found out Washington was crossing the Delaware River, not the actual state, and missed his opportunity. But Caesar fell in love with his surroundings and decided to give up traveling comedy in order to open the first comedy club, Ye Olde Comedee. Caesar, Rodney and their comedy club are long gone but the Delaware quarter honors the fun times brought to our young country by a man and his horse.

cravipat escaped the blue labyrinth long enough to write this.

1 adventurer found their way to the golden castle.

Words uncovered in the catacombs : quarters

Disclaimer: This article is filled with "facts" about state history and the U.S. Mint's 50 State Quarter Program. If you write a research paper using the information provided here you're likely to get an F. Don't write an angry email just because you're even lazier than the author to look up the real information.

In 1999 the United States Mint unleashed their 50 State Quarter Program on a confused public wondering why there was a guy on a horse on the back of their quarters. Eventually people caught wind of the plan to release quarters celebrating each state over the next ten years. (That's five new quarter designs every year in case you're bad with math and it's late at night and your solar calculator won't work.) Each state's quarter has it's own unique design filled with images and text detailing that state's history and accomplishments. Unfortunately there isn't much room on the back of a quarter, so that history and accomplishments may seem a bit cryptic. That's where I hope these articles can help.

But before we get into all of that I'd like to take a look the program itself. How did it come about? You only need to look at the fads sweeping the nation only a few years earlier, Beanie Babies. Yes, it seems far fetched that small plush toys caused the US Government to redesign one of it coins but consider this. Beanie Babies ignited a huge following of investing collectors, people willing to spend large amounts of money to hoard things that may not even interest them in hopes that they can eventually cash in on a big profit. The government saw an opportunity.

This is the point where thinking about how money actually works makes my brain ache but stick with me anyway. The cost of the materials in a quarter is five cents. The public is willing to pay twenty-five cents to possess a quarter leaving Uncle Sam with twenty cents in profit. Most of the time this isn't a problem because the public is inclined to spent that twenty five cents on something useful, let's say a vending machine rubber ball. But with the state quarters, people aren't going to spend them. They'll "buy" one to keep and another to spend. The collectors are likely to keep even more.

So there you have it, the truth behind the 50 State Quarter Program. If you don't believe me spend the day in a bank lobby and watch how many people come in waving a ten dollar bill demanding to know if the new state quarter is out. I'd be willing to bet you see at least one before the cops are called and questions are asked about why you're loitering in the bank's lobby.

cravipat escaped the blue labyrinth long enough to write this.

1 adventurer found their way to the golden castle.

Words uncovered in the catacombs : quarters