What Makes the American Quarter Special?
The American quarter was first made in 1796, and since then its design has undergone many changes, reflecting the history and great ideas of the United States.
If you’re just starting and it is difficult for you to focus and understand whether your coin is rare and valuable or not → use a coin value checker to find out the details in less than a minute.
Draped Bust and Capped Bust
The first quarters, made at the end of the 18th and start of the 19th century, are now only found by the most serious collectors, holding an honored place in museums and private storage rooms.
The Draped Bust Quarter (1796–1807): This coin is the very first 25-cent piece, showing the art style of that time. In 1796, only a very small number was made, making it one of the most rare and expensive quarters.
Any piece in good condition costs tens of thousands of dollars, showing its very high value for collecting.
The Capped Bust Quarter (1815–1838): This coin, having a longer time of being made, has more pieces available to buy.
But the coins from the early years or with rare kinds, such as the 1823/2 quarters having a double date, are still extremely valuable, getting the attention of coin experts from all places.
The Seated Liberty Quarter (1838–1891)
This series was made for a very long time, going with America through the Civil War and the growth of industry. It has many rare years and rare places where they were made.
The Important Dates: Quarters from the Carson City Mint are always worth more because only a small number were made, having been created at a small mint in the West.
For example, the 1873-CC without arrows and the 1878-CC are some of the most expensive coins in this series, having a lot of history inside them.
The Barber Quarter (1892–1916)
The design, made by the person who cuts the metal Charles Barber, is an example of a classic American look. These coins, carrying the picture of Liberty, are valued most for their condition.
The Main Star: The most expensive and best known is the 1901-S quarter because of the very small number made and the high demand for it, its price can go up to six figures, being a desired object for every collector.
The Standing Liberty Quarter (1916–1930)
This coin, showing a strong picture of Liberty, is thought to be one of the prettiest designs the USA ever made. But because the words wear off quickly when used as money, coins in good condition are very rare.
The Secret of the Value: The most valuable pieces are those where all the small parts are clearly seen: the year and, most importantly, the knee of Liberty, showing the quality of the making.
The Most Rare Dates: The absolute top is the 1916 quarter, which had a very small number made, making it extremely important. Also very expensive are the 1921 coin and the 1923-S coin, holding a high price from history.
The Silver Washington Quarter (1932–1964)
This design, made for the 200th birthday of George Washington, has been the longest-lasting one. Until 1964, all these coins were made of silver (90% pure), which automatically gives them value based on the weight of the silver inside.
The Main Stars of the Series:
1932-D and 1932-S: In 1932, being the year of the Great Depression, very few coins were made. Quarters from the Denver (D) and San Francisco (S) Mints are the most rare and expensive in the series, becoming very wanted pieces.
The Different Kinds: Look for the 1937 kind with the Double Die Obverse (DDO), where the text and numbers look doubled, which makes their price much higher, making them very special.
The 1955 Coin: Known for having a "Double Die Reverse," where the back side has a making mistake.
The 50 State Quarters Program (1999–2008)
The most valuable coins in this series are the mistake coins that were found in the money used every day.
The 2004-D Wisconsin Quarter: Look for coins, having either an extra leaf or a double leaf on the corn. These mistakes during the making process, which no one saw, are worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars, turning a normal coin into a treasure.
The 2005-P Kansas Quarter: Making mistakes, where you can see extra text or a double strike, are also worth a lot of money, requiring a close look.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Series (2010–2021)
This series, keeping the size and metal mix of the quarter, is about the national parks and important historical places in the USA.
Key Detail: There are no big mistakes in this series, making it easier to complete. Collectors look for coins in perfect condition (MS-65 and higher) or rare pieces, made at the West Point Mint (W), which had a very small number made, making their price higher.
Legendary Quarters
1796 Draped Bust Quarter: As said before, this is one of the first ones made, being unbelievably rare. In perfect condition, its price can be over $1.5 million, being a dream for any museum.
1823/2 Capped Bust Quarter: This coin, having a mistake with the year (the number "2" is seen under the "3"), is one of the best-known rare coins in the Capped Bust series. Its price can go up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, showing a high place in the collecting world.
1901-S Barber Quarter: This coin, having a very small number made because of problems at the San Francisco Mint, is called the "King" of the Barber series. Pieces in the best possible condition can be worth more than $500,000, showing how high its value is.
1932-D Washington Quarter: Because very few were made in Denver at the start of the Great Depression, this coin is the most rare in the famous Washington series. The price for a perfect one can easily be over $100,000, showing how the economy affects coin collecting.
They are VERY difficult to find and identify, but if so, try checking the found token through the coin identification app to be sure.
Conclusion
American quarters, even though they look simple, offer a rich world for people who collect. If you are starting with a small amount of money, you should focus on:
Silver Washingtons (1932–1964): Giving you the value of the metal and maybe rare dates.
Mistakes on modern quarters: Giving you a chance to find a valuable piece right in the change you get.
Collecting by mint marks: Focusing on finding the rare marks D, S, or W.
Every quarter, telling its own story, can become a very valuable item in your collection, making your hobby fun and possibly good for your money.