List Of The Most Valuable U.S. Quarters
Did you know it’s possible to find valuable quarters in circulation today?
Of course, it will take some effort to track them down, but there are actually many U.S. quarters worth money out there just waiting to be found!
So which old and rare quarters should you be looking for?
Following is your cheat — a sheet listing all of the old, valuable, or rare quarters that you may be able to find in pocket change, coin rolls, or coin boxes from the bank.
In this article you will find:
- Silver U.S. quarters that are the most valuable
- The most valuable Barber quarters from 1892 to 1916
- The most valuable Standing Liberty quarters from 1916 to 1930
- The most valuable Washington quarters from 1932 to 1964
Each of the U.S. quarters listed below is worth $1 or more!
Old & Rare Silver Barber Quarters
U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber designed the Liberty Head quarter in 1892. The design soon became known by the engraver’s last name — and the Barber quarter is what this coin came to be called by coin collectors.
Barber quarters were made from 1892 to 1916.
While most of these silver quarters are considered relatively common (in terms of how many were actually made), they really haven’t been seen in pocket change since the early 1960s.
However, Barber silver quarters, do still turn up on very rare occasions — and some people have even better luck finding them while searching coin rolls.
The 1896-S quarter and 1901-S quarter are particularly rare and valuable — with some uncirculated specimens reaching 5-figures.
Even well-worn Barber quarters can be worth $10 or more, depending on the date and mint mark.
Most Barber silver quarters that still get around today are common, and they’re worth about $15 to $20 in well-worn grades.
Old & Rare Silver Standing Liberty Quarters
After the Barber quarter was last minted, next up was the Standing Liberty quarter.
This design was created by Hermon A. MacNeil. It was minted from 1916 through 1930.
There are 2 types of Standing Liberty silver quarters:
- Type 1 Standing Liberty quarters (1916 and 1917) show Miss Liberty’s exposed right breast. These are worth $25 and up.
- Type 2 Standing Liberty Quarters (1917 to 1930) feature a more modest depiction of Miss Liberty. These are worth $10 to $15 and up.
Early issues (1916-1923) with low mintages are particularly valuable — especially in uncirculated condition. For example, a 1916-D Standing Liberty Quarter in Mint State (MS+) condition can sell for over $10,000!
Here’s how to determine the condition (or grade) of your quarters.
While it’s certainly possible to find Standing Liberty silver quarters in your spare change, the ones you’re most likely to find will have a date from 1925 or after.
Another common type of Standing Liberty quarter you may find actually has no date at all. These were most likely made before 1925 — when the date was raised much more prominently on the coin than it was after 1924, thus causing the date to wear off the coin fairly quickly.
Many dateless Standing Liberty quarters and most Standing Liberty quarters made from 1925 through 1930 are worth $10 and up.
While you can buy chemical etching acids (like Nic-A-Date) to artificially burn away the top layer of metal and reveal the hidden date on a worn coin, doing this permanently ruins the coin’s surfaces. While it’s a fun home science experiment for a dateless Buffalo nickel, it completely tanks the numismatic appeal of a Standing Liberty quarter. Keep your worn type coins original — original skin is always better than acid-etched metal!
Old & Rare Silver Washington Quarters
What began as a temporary commemorative quarter honoring the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth became the nucleus of a permanent coin series.
John Flanagan’s George Washington quarter is by far one of the most popular collectible coins today and easily the workhorse coin of all circulating U.S. coinage.
While common in circulation, certain pre-1965 Washington quarters with low mintages or mint errors can be particularly valuable.
Look for key dates and mint marks — like the 1964-D quarter with a doubled die error, which can be worth well over $100.
All silver Washington quarters made from 1932 through 1964 have a minimum value of $8 — so they’re definitely worth hanging on to if you happen to find any in your loose change.
There are also several other silver George Washington quarters that you may find if you’re really lucky. These are the rare Washington quarters to watch for:
- 1932-D quarter — $115 and up
- 1932-S quarter — $125 and up
- 1934 doubled die obverse quarter — $75 and up
- 1937 doubled die obverse quarter — $75 and up
- 1943-S doubled die obverse quarter — $30 and up
- 1950-D/S quarter — $30 and up
- 1950-S/D quarter — $32 and up
Old & Rare Copper-Nickel Washington Quarters
These are the most valuable copper-nickel quarters you should look for in circulation:
- 1982-P quarter — $1+
- 1982-D quarter — 50+
- 1983-P quarter — $3+
- 1983-D quarter — $1.25+
- 2004-D Wisconsin quarter error (extra leaf low) — $75+
You’ll notice I didn’t mention anything about 1776-1976 Bicentennial quarters, most of the 50 State quarters, any of the America the Beautiful quarters, or the American Women Quarters. That’s because, while these coins are definitely fun to collect, the copper-nickel versions that usually pop up in pocket change are worth only face value with obvious signs of wear on them.
That said, the Type I clad Bicentennial quarters are generally more valuable than the later Type II copper-nickel Bicentennial quarters.
And uncirculated Type I Bicentennial quarters can be worth several dollars each, while some proof sets can fetch hundreds.
You might wonder why a generic 1983-P clad quarter is worth $3 or more while a 1984 quarter is only worth face value.
Here’s the scoop: the U.S. Mint completely canceled official uncirculated Mint Sets in 1982 and 1983 to cut budgets! Since there are no pristine government sets from those two years, collectors have to source Mint State examples straight out of bank rolls or lucky change jars. If you find a glassy, sharp ’82 or ’83 quarter with zero scratches, save it — it’s a high-premium survivor!
More About Rare & Valuable U.S. Quarters
In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you find the most valuable quarters in circulation and in collections:
Have you ever been lucky enough to pull an honest pre-1965 silver quarter out of your loose change? Or are you strictly searching bank rolls hoping to lock down a crisp ’83-P keeper?
Drop a note in the comments below and let me know your valuable quarter stats!
If you think you’ve spotted a 1964-D doubled die, or want me to help you verify a weird coin rim, snap a sharp picture of it and share it below!
Leave a Comment