Obverse side of 1986 quarter
I identified my object as a 1986 American quarter-dollar. The obverse side design depicts George Washington, the word “Liberty,” the coinage year, and the phrase “In God We Trust.” The worn down images and text and the many tiny scratches on the surface show that this coin was well-used.
Reverse side of 1986 quarter
On the reverse side, the quarter shows an eagle and the Latin phrase “E pluribus unum,” meaning “Out of many, one.” These inscriptions were approved with the Act of 1873 and were not changed until 1999, when the Treasury implemented the 50 states designs.
“The Power to Coin Money” by Thomas Wilson and “History of American Coinage” by David K. Watson
My secondary sources were The Power “To Coin” Money by Thomas Wilson, History of American Coinage by David K. Watson, and an article in The American Scholar called “States of Change: the New American Quarter and the Decline of Civilization” by Lincoln Perry. Using these sources, I was able to gain more insight about the quarter’s inscriptions and history. With this knowledge, I could compare the impact of the quarter in the past to its usage today.
Coin purse full of quarters and other coins
As today’s society is becoming increasingly cashless, quarters and other coins are destined for overstuffed coin purses. Due to inflation and other modes of payment, nothing costs a quarter nowadays, and people rarely pay in cash, let alone with actual coins. When told to bring an object that does not mean anything or have any value, the owner brought in a quarter, indicating just how worthless coins are becoming.
Dollar coins, quarters, and dimes
A quarter alone reveals how early Americans valued the institution of religion, felt pride for their young country, and established the symbols of America. An analysis of other coins can reveal as much as this quarter did, but it doesn’t change the fact that society is changing in a way that might lead to the elimination of coins altogether.