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There's no denying the U.S. Mint's quarter redesign program has been a hit, and not just among hardcore collectors. Even casual coin collectors have been swept up in the frenzy of tracking down these special quarters, ever since the U.S. Mint began the revamped 50 State Quarter Program in 1999. The surge has made coin-counting machines a necessity for businesses of all types.

Designs may change, but coins remain constant
According to Thrillist, the first series of new quarters kicked off a rush of new coin collectors, further fueled by the coins' limited run (each quarter was produced for only 10 weeks and issued in the order each state was founded). The source stated that approximately half of people in the U.S. participated in some form of coin collecting coinciding with the release.

But redesigns of U.S. coins are nothing new. Not only do the images on the coins change, but so do the denominations themselves. According to the Littleton Coin Company, long gone are the half cent (phased out in 1857), the two-cent piece (1873) the half dime (1873) and the twenty-cent piece (1878).

The coins that remain have undergone significant design changes as well. The Littleton Coin Company states the penny has previously featured an eagle (known as the "flying eagle") and a Native American (the "Indian head") on the "heads" side prior to introducing President Abraham Lincoln to the front of the penny in 1909. The reverse, meanwhile, has changed at least seven times, including five times since 2009 for a commemorative series.

The current quarter redesign series represents a major effort by the U.S. Mint. According to Coin Week, approximately 33.9 billion 50 State Quarters were produced during the program's 10-year run.

The Mint is currently producing its next series of commemorative coins, this time honoring the American Park Service honoring the country's national parks.

The need to count coins continues
Although the coins are designed to appeal to collectors, they still serve the very real purpose of actual currency. They're placed in circulation and are used every day for a variety of purchases, from parking meters to vending machines. In fact, the U.S. Mint reported that it produced more than 16 billion coins for circulation in 2016.

The changing look of circulated currency means accurate coin counters that can recognize the new designs are a must. High-volume coin-counting machines such as the JetSort 4000 Coin Machine Sorter and Counter can quickly sort the new coins, prevent mistakes in counting, improve customer service and prepare them for delivery.