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Washington Quarter (1932-1964)
The Washington quarter is the current 25-cent piece issued by the United States Mint. This quarter dollar coin was first struck in 1932, and sculptor John Flanagan designed the original version.
Washington Quarter History
In 1924, Congress created the United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission to plan for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Washington, which would occur in 1932. In 1929, Herbert Hoover became president of the United States and joined the Bicentennial commission, which had by then become inactive. Therefore, a new group was formed: The George Washington Bicentennial Committee was established in February 1930. The Bicentennial Committee initially proposed a commemorative Washington half dollar and was dismayed when in 1931, New Jersey Representative Randolph Perkins introduced legislation for a Washington quarter instead.
During this time, the Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures declared that the design of the existing Standing Liberty quarter was unsatisfactory and hard to strike and that the new piece struck for 1932 would permanently replace the older design. Thus, the new quarter would pay tribute to Washington on his bicentennial, and also relieve the Mint of minting the unfavorable Standing Liberty piece.
Washington Quarter Design and Varieties
What design is on the Washington Quarter?
There are five main designs/composition variations of the Washington Quarter: a silver version, a clad version (struck 1965-1974 and 1977-1998), the Bicentennial version, the version struck from 1999 to 2009, and the 2010 version struck until 2021.
The original Washington quarter design struck until 1998 featured George Washington facing left, and the reverse displayed an eagle with wings outstretched while perched on a bundle of arrows. This coin initially contained 6.25 grams of 90% silver until 1964, when the mint switched to a base-metal composition of 75% copper, and 25% nickel-clad on a pure copper core.
Silver Composition: 1932-1964
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Clad Composition: 1965-1998 (Various Mintmarks)
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Independence Bicentennial Design: 1976
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
50 States Washington Quarters: 1999-2009
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
What Is The Value of a Washington Quarter?
Washington Quarters are among some of the most affordable and popular quarter dollars available. Since they were minted in large quantities not that long ago, these pieces are still somewhat abundant. Depending on the year of mintage and the coin’s condition, the Washington Quarter’s value usually ranges from around $5 up to $10. However, a few rarer varieties in pristine condition can be worth between $1,000 and $14,000. During this coin’s production, about 4 varieties of this coin have been valued at $5,000 or higher (in certain conditions). These varieties are listed below:
1932 D Washington Quarter
Value: Between $140 and $13,900, depending on condition
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
1932 S Washington Quarter
Value: Between $170 and $5,550, depending on condition
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
1942 D Washington Quarter: Doubled Die Obverse
Value: Between $120 and $7370, depending on condition
Image source: https://www.usacoinbook.com
Why Should I Collect Washington Quarters?
In comparison to other American silver coinage, Washington Quarters are generally inexpensive to collect and are popular acquisitions for many buyers. Values for the common dates usually range from $5-$50 in “Good” condition and up to $100-900 or more in MS 65 condition. Not only are these silver coins fairly easy to find and purchase, but they hold an undeniable historical appeal as well. As always, we advise you to seek out the help of a numismatic professional when determining the value of your coin.
