Washington Quarters: A Lasting Homage to the US Founding Father

The Washington quarter is a 25-cent US coin issued from 1932 to 1998, with the obverse still in use on the various quarter series released since 1999.

The original obverse and reverse design was used until 1998. The obverse (or a version of it) has been used on circulating quarters since 1998, with the reverse changing for various series like the state quarters, national park quarters, and the current American Women series.

We’ve made in-depth guides for the 50 State Quarters (1999-2009) and the America the Beautiful series (2010-2021), so we’re focusing today on Washington quarters from 1932 to 1998.

After being in business for two decades and working with numismatists all around the world, we’ve learned that every coin is an important piece of history. That’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to the legendary Washington quarter, covering its history, varieties, design, value, and key dates.

By the end, you’ll be eager to bring home your own piece of American history featuring this iconic founding father.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1932-D Washington quarter, a first year issue from the Denver Mint | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Historical Background

George Washington is a legendary figure in American history. His titles include Founding Father, First President, and Commander of the Revolutionary War, alongside a legacy of standing for integrity, liberty, courage, respect, and humility.

As he was born on February 22, 1732, the bicentennial of his birth was coming up in 1932. The idea eventually turned into the Washington quarter, but it would jump through many hoops along the way.

1930s: Lead Up to the New Quarter

Preparing ahead before the Bicentennial, Congress established the George Washington Bicentennial Commission in 1924, which transformed into the George Washington Bicentennial Committee in 1930.

At that time, the US Mint had issued dozens of commemorative coins and the public was losing interest. Still, the committee decided on a commemorative George Washington half dollar — without getting Congressional approval — to replace the Walking Liberty half dollars for just one year in 1932.

The committee held a competition, requiring the half dollar’s obverse to be based on French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon’s 1786 sculpture George Washington. The committee and the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) chose American sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser’s design.

But New Jersey Congressman Randolph Perkins introduced a bill on February 9, 1931, for a Washington quarter to permanently replace the Standing Liberty quarter instead. The bill passed on March 4, 1931.

Pictured above: Photo of Laura Gardin Fraser, the first (but not final) choice for designing the Washington quarter | Image credit: Laura Gardin Fraser (1889-1966) - Women Artists on USCapitol's Flickr, Public domain

Choosing A Designer & Releasing the Washington Quarter

The Mint wanted to hold a new competition, which led to arguments between the CFA (particularly Chairman Charles W. Moore) vs the Treasury Department and US Mint. The CFA was pushing to let Fraser adapt her design (which was used on the 1932 Bicentennial Medal), while the Treasury and Mint pushed for a design by American sculptor John Flanagan.

Eventually, the Treasury and Mint won and Flanagan began designing the coin, still basing his obverse on Houdon’s work.

The press announced the new coins in July and the first Washington quarters were released for circulation on August 1, 1932.

The first couple decades were smooth. Public feedback was positive and the Washington quarter didn’t have the striking issues of previous coins. Still, the mint made small changes to the rim and lettering.

1960s: New Composition & Modified Design

By the early 1960s, the US Mint had a worldwide silver and coin shortage crisis on their hands. In response, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965, which removed silver from the dime and quarter.

The act also made it so mint marks would be kept off of coins for up to five years, as the shortages were partly blamed on collectors hoarding coins. Lastly, the mint stopped producing proofs and proof sets so they could focus on the changes.

These changes affected Washington quarters in three ways:

1. The composition changed from silver to copper-nickel clad starting in 1965.

2. No 1965 to 1967 quarters had mint marks.

3. Quarter proofs were replaced with Special Mint Strikes from 1965 to 1967.

Additionally, the mint slightly modified the design — lowering the reverse relief and sharpening obverse details — to better suit the clad planchets.

Mint marks and proof issues returned in 1968, but the cupronickel clad composition remained.

Pictured above: Reverse of 1976 Bicentennial Washington quarter | Image credit: US Mint, Public domain

1970s to 1980s: Design Modifications

The first major temporary design modification of Washington quarters coincidentally celebrated another bicentennial: the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence being ratified in 1776.

The mint celebrated by issuing special Bicentennial Washington quarters from 1975 to 1976 — in both cupronickel clad and 40% silver “clad” — with a mintage year of “1776-1976” on the obverse and a new reverse featuring a Colonial drummer.

The West Point Mint struck some Washington quarters for circulation from 1977 to 1979, but they didn’t have a mint mark so they look identical to Philadelphia Mint issues from those years. However, the Philadelphia Mint started using a mint mark (“P”) in 1980.

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 2021-P "Crossing the Delaware" Washington quarter | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

1990s to Present: Proof Sets & Commemorative Series

The first major 1990s event for Washington quarters was the introduction of silver proof sets in 1992, which included a 90% silver Washington quarter proof.

But the most significant change, arguably the end of the original Washington quarter series for now, began in 1999. The 50 State Quarters program started that year, continuing through 2009 and kicking off the circulating quarters series with a modified version of the original Washington obverse but entirely new reverse designs.

After the end of the America the Beautiful series, the original Flanagan obverse came back in 2021 with a new one-year reverse by Benjamin Sowards and Michael Gaudioso depicting Washington famously crossing the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War.

Since the passage of the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020, the next three quarter series are American Women (2022-2025), United States Semiquincentennial (2026), and youth sports (2027-2030), along with an obverse redesign scheduled for 2027 that still depicts George Washington.

Pictured above: Obverse and reverse of 1974-D Type 2 Cupronickel Clad Washington quarter | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Specifications

Let’s go over the basics first by examining Washington quarter specs like composition and size.

For reference in the list below, the “cupronickel clad” composition means the coin has a 75% copper and 25% nickel coating over a 100% copper core.

Here are the Washington quarter specifications:

• Face Value: 25 cents (1/4 of $1 USD)

• Weight: Circulated: 6.25 g (1932-1964); 5.67 g (1965-1998) | Proofs & Special Mint Strikes: 6.25 g (Silver, 1936-1964, 1992-1998), 5.67 g (Cupronickel clad, 1965-1998)

• Diameter: 24.26 mm (0.955 in)

• Thickness: 1.75 mm (0.069 in)

• Composition: Circulated: Silver, 90% silver & 10% copper (1932-1964); Cupronickel clad (1965-1998); Silver clad, 40% silver & 60% copper (1975-1976) | Proofs or Uncirculated: 90% silver & 10% copper (1936-1942, 1950-1964, 1992-1998); Cupronickel clad (1968-1998); Silver clad, 40% silver & 60% copper (1975-1976)

• Edge: Reeded

You might’ve noticed some overlap between compositions. This is mostly the case for proofs, as during certain eras, the mint produced two types of proof quarters: silver proofs and cupronickel clad proofs.

The one overlap for circulated Washington quarters from 1975 to 1976, when the Bicentennial Washington quarters were issued in both cupronickel clad and a unique silver clad (40% silver & 60% copper) composition for both circulated and proof versions.

How much silver is in the 1932 to 1964 Washington quarters? These quarters each contain 0.1808 troy oz of pure silver. This is the same amount of silver in the 1992-1998 silver proof Washington quarters.

Pictured above: Obverse and reverse of 1965 Special Mint Strike (SMS) Washington quarter, graded SP67CAM by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Types of Washington Quarters

Hundreds of mint-and-date combination, error, or subtype varieties of Washington quarters exist, but the main overarching types are:

1. Type 1 Silver Circulated (1932-1964): 90% silver & 10% copper; Replaced by Coinage Act of 1965 with new silverless composition

2. Type 1 Silver Proof (1936-1942, 1950-1964, 1992-1998): 90% silver & 10% copper; Originally produced at Philadelphia Mint until 1964, produced at San Francisco Mint since 1968

3. Type 2 Cupronickel Clad Circulated (1965-1998): Pure copper center with coating of 75% copper & 25% nickel; Established with Coinage Act of 1965

4. Type 2 Cupronickel Clad Bicentennial Quarters (1975-1976): Mintage year inscribed as “1776-1976” on all issues with commemorative reverse design; Issued in circulated issues from Philadelphia & Denver and proof issues from San Francisco

5. Type 3 Silver Clad Bicentennial Quarters (1975-1976): 40% silver & 60% copper composition; Issued in circulated, uncirculated, and proof issues, all from San Francisco

6. Special Mint Strike or SMS (1965-1967): Nickel-clad composition, minted in San Francisco but no mint marks, satin finish, and “specimen” strike quality (between circulated and proof); Created to temporarily replace annual proof sets as part of Special Mint Sets for collectors

Most often, you’ll see Type 1 Silver or Type 2 Cupronickel Clad (sometimes just called “Clad”) Washington quarters.

Pictured above: Comparison of Light Motto vs Medium Motto vs Heavy Motto seen on 1934 Washington quarters | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Subtypes of Specific Issues

Besides the broader changes to the series, some issues (or issues from a set of years) had their own subtypes:

• Light vs Medium vs Heavy Motto (1934-P & 1934-D): Variation in relief and slight look of letters of “IN GOD WE TRUST” inscription

  • Light Motto or “Type of 1932” has indistinct, mushy letters; Seen on some 1934-P issues, along with all 1932 issues

  • Medium Motto or “Type of 1935” has thin but more distinct letters; Seen on 1934-D and some 1934-P issues, plus all 1935 issues

  • Heavy Motto or “Type of 1936” has even more distinct letters with a high center of “W,” seen on some 1934-P and some 1934-D issues, then all issues from 1936 on

• Type B Reverse (1956-P to 1964-P): Circulation Washington quarters accidentally struck with proof reverse, notably with more separated “ES” in “STATES”

• Type C Reverse (1965): Slightly modified reverse design with sharper details on wreath leaves, used from 1965 on

• Filled vs Clear “S” Mint Mark (1979-S Proofs): Thicker lettering with less space in “Filled S” (Type 1) vs thinner lettering with more defined appearance in “Clear S” (Type 2); Seen on all denomination proofs from 1979

• Worn vs Flat “S” Mint Mark (1981-S Proofs): Slightly worn version of the “Clear S” mint mark from 1979-S for “Worn S” or “Round Top” (Type 1) vs clearly defined “S” with bulbous serifs on “Flat S” or “Plato (Flat) Top” (Type 2); Seen on all denomination proofs from 1981

Next, we’ll put these changes into context by getting a fuller picture of the Washington quarter design.

Pictured above: Marble bust of George Washington sculpted by Jean-Antoine Houdon made circa 1786, displayed in Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) | Image credit: Photographed by Beesnest McClain, CC-BY-SA-2.5

Design and Symbolism

As you know, John Flanagan based his depiction of George Washington on sculptures by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. Houdon’s bust of Washington from 1785 has been the basis of most depictions of the Founding Father since the sculpture’s creation.

Flanagan’s interpretation kept the stern and serious appearance, slightly changing the head shape and hair curls. His heraldic eagle somewhat resembles the one on the Great Seal of the United States. Besides the national bird, the reverse also features a wreath, a common element on early US coins symbolizing victory and unity.

Pictured above: Obverse of 1971-D Washington quarter, graded MS68 by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Obverse Design

The obverse (heads side) of the Washington quarter features a bust of George Washington facing left. He wears the common hairstyle of the era, but notably with a ponytail added at the neck which was not in Houdon’s original sculpture.

John Flanagan’s initials “JF” are at the base of Washington’s neck, in the bottom right shadowed truncation. “LIBERTY” is along the top, with the mintage year along the bottom and “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the lower left (around the 8-o-clock position).

The mint mark, if present, is on the lower right (the 4-o-clock position) on issues from 1968 to 1998.

Pictured above: Reverse of 1948-S Washington quarter, graded MS67PL (Prooflike) by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Reverse Design

The reverse (tails side) of the Washington quarter features an eagle with its head facing right (viewer’s left) and wings outstretched. The eagle is perched on a piece of wood, with a semi-circle wreath below.

“UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” are inscribed along the top. “QUARTER DOLLAR” is along the bottom.

The Bicentennial reverse (1975-1976) has the same inscriptions, though “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is at the 9-o-clock position. The design by Jack L. Ahr features a Colonial drummer and a victory torch encircled by thirteen stars representing the original thirteen colonies.

The mint mark, if present, is below the wreath but above the “QUARTER DOLLAR” inscription on issues from 1932 to 1964.

Speaking of mint marks...

Pictured above: "P" mint mark on 1983-P Washington quarter | Image credit: AKS.9955, CC-BY-SA-4.0

Minting and Production

From 1932 to 1998, over 41.4 billion Washington quarters have been minted across 147 circulated issues and 60 proof issues. The quarters came from four mints: Philadelphia Mint, Denver Mint, San Francisco Mint, and very briefly West Point Mint.

The only year with no Washington quarters issued from any mints is 1933, largely due to the Great Depression. Additionally, no Washington quarter proofs were minted from 1943 to 1949 due to World War II taking priority.

Each issue is denoted by their mint mark:

• None (1932-1979) or “P” (1980-1998) — Philadelphia Mint | Circulated issues: 1932, 1934-1998; Proof issues: 1936-1942, 1950-1964

• None — West Point Mint | Circulated issues: 1977-1979

• “D” — Denver Mint | Circulated issues: 1932, 1934-1937, 1939-1998

• “S” — San Francisco Mint | Circulated issues: 1932, 1935-1948, 1950-1954; Proof issues: 1968-1992; SMS issues: 1965-1967; Uncirculated issues: 1975-1976

Washington quarter mint marks were on the reverse from 1932 to 1964 and the obverse from 1968 to 1998.

No mint marks were used on 1965 to 1967 Washington quarters. Additionally, the mintage year on Bicentennial quarters was written as “1776-1976” for all 1975 to 1976 issues.

A total of 41,300,469,120 Washington quarters were minted for circulation from 1932 to 1998. The total number of Washington quarter proofs minted was 124,487,518. The Special Mint Set (SMS) issues from 1965 to 1967 totaled up to 6,484,927 specimens.

The highest mintage issue for circulation is 1965-P at over 1.81 billion (1,819,717,540 to be exact). The highest mintage proof issue was 1976-S at 7,059,099.

What is the rare date in Washington quarters? If we’re talking about the lowest minted, the lowest mintage circulation Washington quarter issue was 1932-S at 408,000. The lowest mintage proof issue was 1936 at 3,837.

Pictured above: Obverse and reverse of 1951-P Washington quarter graded PR68DCAM by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Collecting and Grading

Many Washington quarters are worth more than their 25-cent face value, particularly pre-1964 issues. The factors that separate the most valuable Washington quarters from less valuable ones include:

• Current Silver Spot Price: Issues before 1964 have inherently higher value for their silver content, but the market value (spot price) of silver fluctuates. You can check the current spot price of silver here.

• Variety: Among coins of the same composition, some Washington quarter issues were struck better than others (e.g. 1932 had a higher rim, protecting it from wear). Collectors editions like proof and SMS issues are also struck to a higher quality with special procedures, raising their value.

• Rarity: Issues with low mintages (fewer were struck) or low survival (fewer are still around today) are more valuable. Rarity can also mean an issue that’s rarely found in high grades (e.g. 1936-D).

• Mint Errors: Unintentional errors, especially if rare or dramatic, can be particularly valuable.

• Demand: The current popularity of Washington quarters (or particular issues) fluctuates; consequently, their market value fluctuates.

• Condition: A more well-preserved quarter will fetch higher prices, especially if it’s from an issue with low survival in high grades.

Condition is usually given as a grade by a professional third-party service like Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) or Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS).

Pictured above: Obverse & reverse of 1998-D Washington quarter graded MS66PL (Mint State 66 Prooflike) by PCGS | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Grades

Different coin grading systems exist, but the general grades are:

1. Uncirculated: Never circulated & properly stored; Looks like it did the day it was minted

2. Mint State (MS): Like Uncirculated but with sub-grades from 60 to 70 for many visible marks to flawless, respectively

3. Specimen (SP): Definition varies among grading agencies, but generally between a Mint State and Proof grade; Most often used for Special Mint Strike (SMS) issues from 1965-1967

4. Proof (PR or PF): Struck as a proof (or sometimes Specimen) coin; Sub-grades from 60 to 70 just like Mint State; Three subtypes:

   1. Standard Proof: Background (field) isn’t highly reflective

   2. Cameo (CAM): Rarer; Background highly reflective plus a) light to moderate frosting on obverse & reverse, b) not frosted, or c) frosted on only one side; Also a subtype of Specimen grades

   3. Deep/Ultra Cameo (DCAM or UCAM): Rarest; Background highly reflective plus highly & evenly frosted obverse & reverse; Also a subtype of Specimen grades

5. Prooflike (PL): Coins struck & handled for circulation but with a similar brilliant shine to proof coins

   1. Deep Mirror Prooflike (DPML): MS60 or better with consistent, deeply mirrored surfaces (reflective at least 6 inches away) on both sides; Extremely rare, with around 30 ever graded DPML by NGC

6. About Uncirculated (AU): Very minor wear on high points of design from brief circulation, well-preserved surfaces, near-complete mint luster; Sub-grades from 50 to 58

7. Extremely Fine (EF or XF): Complete details, light wear on high points; Sub-grades 40 & 45

8. Very Fine (VF): Moderate to complete details, wear on high points; Sub-grades 20 to 35

9. Fine (F): 50 percent or less of detail flat, visible to sharp letters & digits; Sub-grades 12 & 15

10. Very Good (VG): Wear throughout, letters & digits soft but readable; Sub-grades 8 & 10

11. Good (G): Outer letters & digits full to slightly worn, slightly worn to sharp rims; Sub-grades 4 & 6

12. About Good (AG-3): Mostly readable letters & digits, worn rims

13. Fair (FR-2): Some visible details, traces of outer letters, flat

14. Poor (PO-1): Only date, mint mark, and year identifiable

Now that you know how to understand the coin’s value, what are the key dates for Washington quarters?

Pictured above: Close-up detail of 1943-S Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) error on motto inscription | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Key Dates and Errors

The key dates for Washington quarters are almost all in the Type 1 Silver issues released from 1932 to 1964. But there are plenty of valuable issues outside of the most famous key date coins.

That said, let’s take a look at the most valuable Washington quarter key dates and errors.

Circulated Key Dates

The two main key dates among circulated Washington quarters are 1932-S and 1932-D, the branch mint issues from the first year. The most valuable 1932-D issues are worth up to $85,000, while the highest value for 1932-S issues is $46,000. Even low-grade versions are worth around $75 to $100.

Some circulated Washington Quarter semi key dates include:

• 1948-P: Worth up to $43,250

• 1964-D: Worth up to $38,500

• 1934-D Heavy Motto: Worth up to $35,000

Additionally, any Type B reverse quarter from 1956 to 1964 is higher value than the normal reverse (Type A).

Proof Key Dates

For Washington quarter proofs, the main key dates for collectors are:

• 1936: Lowest mintage of entire series; Worth $500 to $40,000

• 1979-S Clear S (Type 2): Rarer than Filled S type; Worth up to $60

• 1981-S Flat S (Type 2): More sought-after than Worn S type; Worth up to $50

• 1951: Worth up to $45,000 in DCAM grades

• 1950: Worth up to $45,000 in DCAM grades

• 1953: Worth up to $23,500 in DCAM grades

The highest value goes to the pre-1964 silver proofs. The most valuable post-1964 clad proof is the 1973-S issue, worth up to $4,100 in DCAM grades.

Pictured above: Close-up of "Superbird" error on 1952 Washington quarter proof | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Proof Error Coins

Even proofs could have errors, and some of the Washington quarter errors on proofs are famous. The most notable proof errors include:

• “Superbird” (1952): Worth $30 to $8,500; “S” mint mark struck on eagle’s chest on reverse, resembling Superman

• Re-Engraved Tail Feathers (1953): Worth $215 to $1,100; Hand-engraved details on eagle’s tail feathers make them more distinct

• Reverse Die Gouge (1956): Worth around $50 to $800

• Doubled Die Obverse or DDO: Known on six issues, most valuable on 1953 (up to $4,250)

• Doubled Die Reverse or DDR: Known on three issues, most valuable on 1963 (up to $750)

• Repunched Mint Mark or RPM: Known on two issues, most valuable on 1968-S (up to $1,350)

Pictured above: Reverse of 1983-P "Spitting Eagle" Washington quarter error coin | Image credit: PCGS CoinFacts, Free use

Circulated Error Coins

Unsurprisingly, errors were even more abundant on circulation coins. The most common errors were:

• Doubled Die Obverse or DDO: Known on 30 issues, most valuable from 1937 (up to $26,000) and 1943-S (up to $19,000)

• Doubled Die Reverse or DDR: Known on 17 issues, most valuable from 1942-D (up to $11,500)

• Repunched Mint Mark or RPM: Known on 17 issues, most valuable from 1948-S/S (up to $5,000)

• Overpunched Mint Mark or OMM: Known on 5 issues, most valuable from 1950-D/S (up to $27,500) and 1950-S/D (up to $17,500)

Some intriguing errors unique to Washington quarters include:

• “Goiter” (1943-S): Obverse die sink caused Washington’s jaw and throat to look like it had a bulge resembling a goiter (enlarged thyroid gland swelling); Worth $15 to $5,750

• D Over Inverted D (1953-D): “D” mint mark punched the wrong way over “D” punched correctly; Worth $10 to $1,150

• Trumpet Tail S (1943-S): The tail of the “S” mint mark resembles the end of a trumpet; Worth $20 to $900

• Misplaced Mint Mark (1957-D): “D” mint mark is slightly lower and off center; Worth $30 to $2000

• Type C Reverse (1964-D): Reverse design introduced on 1965 quarters, somehow on some 1964 issues; Worth $36 to $1,500

• Large S (1941-S): Slightly larger “S” mint mark; Worth $10 to $1,250

• “Spitting Eagle” (1983-P): Die clash error made it look like the reverse eagle is spitting; Worth $40 to $500

As you can see, there are plenty of error and non-error Washington quarters to choose from, whether you’re a beginning hobbyist or seasoned collector.

Pictured above: Four Washington quarters from 1972, 1989, 1993, and 1996 (from left to right) | Image credit: Joe Loong, Flickr, CC-BY-SA-2.0

Honor a Legend of American & Numismatic History with the Enduring Washington Quarter!

Washington quarters are a staple of American coinage and numismatics worldwide. Starting as a patriotic commemoration of the nation’s founding father, the coin has continued to evolve, still gracing the obverse of American quarters today.

If you’re starting a new collection, adding to an existing one, or simply looking for a beautiful coin keepsake, we have plenty of incredible Washington quarters at competitive prices to choose from!

Buy Washington quarters today!

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