Customer Reviews

A Pocketful of History: Four Hundred Years of America-One State Quarter at a Time

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History, Sartre said, is what happens behind our backs (or something to that effect). It's also something that jangles in our pockets, if we carry or save or even spend quarters from the 50 State Quarters Program.

We know this because Jim Noles has taken the time and expended great effort to write the winsome and valuable A Pocketful of History: Four Hundred Years of America--One State Quarter at a Time (Da Capo Press).

Following Canada's lead in the mid 1990s, the US government decided to issue, over a period of ten years, commemorative quarters representing some significant and representative event or symbol or enduring attribute of each of the fifty states, issued in the order in which all fifty states came into the union. There is more than one history at work here, that being a coin's depiction of a state's historical self-definition -- but, in addition, much to our benefit, Noles has taken the time to tell us the stories behind the states' decisions and debates on which events or symbols to use, and how best to depict them.

Those descriptions in themselves prove to be a fascinating look at how politics and personalities shape what we see and how we see it -- a history lesson in itself.

In scrupulous -- but not overbearing -- detail, Noles tells us about Delaware's Ceasar Rodney who, in 1776, suffering from a debilitating cancer, rode 80 miles in one day from his home state to Philadelphia just in time to cast his vote for independence; or Colorado's perhaps not unexpected depiction of the majestic Rockies as a symbol of the beauty and natural resources of the state; or North Dakota's display of bison and the stunning buttes and mountains that make up the 39th state's harshly beautiful Badlands.

The legislation to create the 50 State Quarters Program was signed into law in 1997 by President Bill Clinton, and the plan was to issue the quarters incrementally over a ten-year period. By the end of 2008, with the minting of Hawaii's quarter (Hawaiian monarch King Kamehameha I stretching his hand toward the eight major Hawaiian Islands), the Quarters program officially ended, and it has proven to be an enormous success -- both financially for the government and aesthetically and historically for numismatists and otherwise interested parties everywhere.

Noles, thankfully, provides us a comprehensive look at the very distinct, yet commonly bound, 50 states that make up the U.S. He does so with enough erudition to make the book substantive while interjecting the perfect amount of lightheartedness and whimsy to make the book eminently readable.

This was a fantastic book that should be required reading for all students. It gave a quick, 5 page, history of the quarter, that most people would never have known. I am giving this to all my grandkids for Christmas. The research the author did was incredible.

this is an outstanding book; the perfect companion to any state quarter
collection. although collectors would've liked to see more details like
issue dates and quantities minted.

I didn't know I was interested in the 50 State Quarters Program until I started reading this excellent book. Noles dedicates a chapter to each state. I love the reporting he did into how each state chose what would go on its quarter.

The book's not just about the program, though. Noles uses it as a jumping off point to explore little chunks of history, some of them well known, some of them obscure.

This would be a great gift for a coin collector. My brother-in-law is a big fan of the 50 State program. He flew through the copy I gave him and wanted a sequel. I keep my copy by the tub, where I read another state each night. Last night, I read about Hillman's discovery of Oregon's Crater Lake.

Written by attorney Jim Noles, A Pocketful of History: Four Hundred Years of America - One State Quarter at a Time is a treasury for history trivia buffs and coin collectors alike, as it relates how each of the fifty commemorative state quarters celebrates American history. There are fifty chapters; each one begins with a magnified, black-and-white rendition of a different state's unique quarter design, followed by the story behind the design and historical vignettes aplenty. Written in a reader-friendly narrative style, A Pocketful of History is the perfect companion book for state quarter collectors everywhere.

I remember when the 50 State Quarters program first started back in 1999 and how my classmates and I, back in elementary school, were all clamoring over the first quarters to come out. Since then, I collected each state quarter one by one as they were issued all the way until the program ended in 2008. My complete collection is certainly one of my most prized possessions. Needless to say, I was rather excited when I saw this book at a bookstore.

Each state quarter is covered by an interesting story related to the design of its quarter. Such examples include the story of Caesar Rodney on Delaware's, the Charter Oak on Connecticut's, who John Muir was on California's, why a peach is on Georgia's, and so on. In a few pages for each quarter, an easily digestible story is told. It makes it great book to pick up, read a few sections, and put down, or just flip ahead to your favorite states.

I found this to be enjoyable and informative. A pretty good companion to any State Quarters collection.

I bought this book as a gift for a friend who has about 5 sets of the state coins. He was delighted with it and has since told us how much he has learned from it, and how it has added to his interest in the coins. Each chapter gives information on the reason why the particular items were chosen for the coin by state. Based on his reaction to this gift, I would highly recommend it.

My Husband has been collecting the quarters for the 50 States and Territories; this book gives valuable and interesting information about each State.

The other reviews have covered all of the important facts. Jim Noles book is a great little read! At 3-5 pages per quarter it provides an insight into the design & approval process, discusses some of the alternatives that were rejected and occasionally dives into a little history and politics. In all a wonderful set of vignettes that covers one of the most successful coin programs ever!

This is an interesting and informative book for anyone who is collecting the State quarters. It is light and well-written, providing history and anecdotes on each of the states and explains how the various designs were chosen. I have put it with my collection of state quarters and will give it to my grandson when the collection is complete - later this year.