6 Rare Quarters: Of all the coins jingling in your pocket or lying at the bottom of jars in your home, quarters draw the least attention from most people who handle them.
But some rare Washington quarters are worth hundreds — even thousands — of times their face value. Here’s a look at six especially valuable quarters that may be in your pocket change right now.
Table of Contents
6 Rare Quarters: 1932-D Washington Quarter
The Washington quarter was first minted in 1932 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington.
The Denver Mint issued only 436,800 of these first-year quarters, a minuscule amount when considering more than 5 million were struck at the Philadelphia Mint that same year, making the ‘D’-mint issue the lowest mintage regular-issue quarter in the series. This low mintage and being a first-year issue, causes collectors to highly value this coin.
When well worn, a 1932-D quarter is usually worth $150 to $200, but uncirculated examples bottom out at $5,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on condition.
The “D” mintmark is located on the reverse below the wreath and sets it apart from the much more frequently encountered Philadelphia pieces.
1932-S Washington Quarter
In respect to rarity, the 1932-S quarter was of about the same commonness as its Denver companion, but a few more bearing this mintmark 408,000 were struck.
Because minting of quarters ceased in 1933 due to the Great Depression, these 1932 releases are the sole quarters of the first two years of the Washington series.
Unsullied 1932-S quarters are highly sought, wiith uncirculated examples generally fetching $3,000 or more — some fast approaching the five-figure mark for the highest-graded specimens. The location “S” mintmark is found at the bottom wreath of this San Francisco Mint treasure.
1950-S/D Washington Quarter
This interesting mistake happened when a worker at the San Francisco Mint accidentally over punched an “S” mintmark on top of a “D” mintmark on the working die.
The resultant “overmintmark” variety exhibits strong remnants of both letters when viewed under a glass.
In circulated condition, the 1950-S/D quarter can be bought for somewhere between $50 and $100, while uncirculated versions may trade for somewhere between $300 and $500.
One of the most collectible mint errors of the Washington quarter series, this variety is visible to the naked eye once you know what to look for.
Error 1970-S Proof Quarter Struck on a 1941 Canadian Quarter #14495 1970-S Proof Quarter Struck on a 1941 Canadian Quarter Very Rare An 1970-S 25c Proof struck on a 1941 Canadian 25c Very Rare and Unique.
One of the oddest and most rare Washington quarter varieties is the 1970-S proof quarter struck over a 1941 Canadian quarter. The seemingly claw-dropping mistake occurred when a 1941 Canadian quarter ended up in the San Francisco Mint’s proof press and got pressed with the contemporary Washington quarter design.
The resultant coin exhibits obvious undertype from the Canadian coin, including parts of king George VI’s profile visible behind the head of Washington.”
Only one specimen is known, that brought over $35,000 at auction. High grades in this denomination are always in demand; finding another is highly unlikely, but this jaw-dropper is the reason people should always look at odd coins.
1999-P Delaware Quarter on Experimental Planchet
The 50 State Quarters program, which began in 1999, made infrequent but striking mistakes. Included are the Delaware quarter (“the first state”) struck on an experimental planchet with a different metal composition than regular clad coinage.
These trial coins display unique coloring and are slightly off weight when compared to the standard quarter coin. There are only a few known examples, and authenticated sales range from $2,500 to $5,000.
The odd metallic composition of the coin is evident when the weight and appearance are compared to standard issues.
2004-D Wisconsin ”Extra Leaf” Quarter $3….
One of the best known State Quarter errors occurred on the Wisconsin reverse design coin, on which “the high leaf” and “the low leaf” can be found.
Debate rages as to whether these are intentional die modifications or accidental die counters, but the varieties have filled many a Sudoku aficionado with more than six fill-ins.
The High Leaf and Low Leaf usually trade for $100 to $300 for circulated examples and $500 to $1,000 in uncirculated grades.
These are found only on quarters struck at the Denver Mint and can be recognized by what appears to be an extra leaf on the left side of the corn stalk.
6 Rare Quarters: How to Search Effectively
When searching your pocket change for these rare quarters, keep an eye out for:
Mintmarks: Take note of “D” and “S” mintmarks, they are located under the wreath on the reverse of quarters pre-1965, but later issues display it under the date on the obverse
Date: Anytime look at 1932 quarters as both the minted D and S are worth money.
State Quarters: Look over those wisconsin quarters for the extra leafs reverse sides.
Odd looks: Save aside quarters that don’t appear right in color, weight, or design to check them out later
Although recovering these rarities in circulation is becoming more improbable as collectors and dealers are actively taking them out, previously unknown examples do come across from old hoards, forgotten piggy banks and unsearched coin jars.
The excitement of finding something new is one of the most rewarding aspects of coin collecting, and when you know what to look for, pocket change is transformed into a landscape of opportunity, just one coin away from an extraordinary discovery.
