When the Roman emperor Titus defeated Jerusalem in A.D.70 he was so proud that he had unique coins made to memorialize the occasion. It was not the first time in history that coins were made use of to remind others of important events, past or current, however it was one of the most noteworthy in the history of the Jews. Over the two millennia which have passed since that point in time, scores of commemorative coins have been issued all across the earth in order to pay tribute to people, places, and historic events that might otherwise have been forgotten.

The United States was a latecomer in the business of issuing commemorative coins; however the country was just a little more than one hundred years old when the first of such coins was made in 1892. The event that was honored on those coins was the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus precisely 400 years previously. It was a stirring beginning to a series of commemorations that has been carried on ever since. Commemorative coins are distinctive in that they are hardly ever come across in typical circulation. Nearly all of the hundreds of designs which have been designed in this country during the previous 100 years had been produced in small quantities and exclusively sold as souvenirs and to collectors. In various other countries commemorative coins are used in every day circulation right alongside the normal national coinage. Now that the 50 States quarters coins are being released, we are beginning to notice the type of curiosity and collecting activity that can be generated by circulating commemorative coins.

That activity is bringing new attention to the various older issues of commemoratives that were until this time undiscovered by most Americans. It is increasingly becoming a particularly interesting challenge to discover old, new and circulating commemoratives to understand more about the heritage and artistry of our country.

Anyone interested in getting involved in collecting commemorative coins ought to begin by reviewing a list of all the various kinds that have been issued since 1892. There is a nice list in the Guide Book of United States Coins (The Red Book), and there are a multitude of very good publications on the topic. Commemorative Coins of the U.S. by Q. David Bowers is one of the most thorough and enjoyable. Those books as well as others can generally be located in local public libraries. After reviewing the range of the commemorative field you can more effectively decide which subjects appeal the most to you, and begin developing your collection.

It is no longer fashionable to attempt keeping one of each date, mintmark and type of the hundreds of purchasable pieces. That kind of collecting became outdated with the development of so many modern kinds that have been distributed since 1982. Modern collectors usually focus their attention on either the older "Classic" pieces, or the "Modern" issues but not necessarily both. The most favorite approach to collecting right now is to create a set of appealing themes or designs all at the same level of condition. Each person’s price range can determine whether his or her coins should be "About Uncirculated" or in the "gem" class. The variation in price can differ by a factor of 5 to 10 times depending on condition.