Coin Value Finder » 1776 Quarter Value: are “D”, “S”, No mint mark worth money?

1776 Quarter Value: are “D”, “S”, No mint mark worth money?

Many coins have come and gone, but some remain fresh in the mind of many. The reason may be that they are recent, but some coins represent something more than legal tender. One such coin is the 1776 quarter.

This quarter is special because it was not originally minted in 1776. The first minting was in 1976 and comes in two compositions. Also, it is typically called the 1776-1976 quarter or the bicentennial Washington quarter.

The article explores different aspects of the coin, its history, why it has a unique name, and other crucial details. These details will help you determine the true value of the quarter.

Also Read: Top 15 Most Valuable Quarters In Circulation

1776 Quarter Details

1776 Quarter Details

Here, we summarize the general details of the coin, such as its mintage, mint locations, and metal composition. You will get a general idea of what the coin looks and feels like, and how it affects its value.

  • Category: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Mint: Denver, San Francisco, and Philadelphia
  • Mintage: 1,691,961,954
  • Obverse Designer: John Flanagan
  • Reverse Designer: Jack L. Ahr
  • Metal Composition: Clad (75% copper, 25% nickel) and silver clad (40% silver, 60% copper)
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Silver Weight: 0.07395 troy oz.
  • Weight: 5.67 grams (clad), 5.75 (silver clad)
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm
  • Thickness: 1.75 mm

There are two types of the 1776 quarter: clad and silver clad. The clad coin type comprises nickel and copper in varying percentages. On the other hand, the silver clad comprises silver and copper, with copper occurring in a higher percentage than silver.

Three mints struck the quarter in 1976 to celebrate the 200th year remembrance of the country’s independence. The mints are Philadelphia, which is the main mint, Denver, and San Francisco. Each mint stuck coins in varying amounts, but the overall result was over one billion quarters in circulation.

Also, only the San Francisco mint struck the 1776 quarter in silver, clad-proof, and silver-proof types. The Denver and Philadephia mints struck the quarters only in clad composition. That means you will only find proof coins with an S mint mark on them, whether they are silver or clad.

The obverse of the coin features the bust of the first president, George Washington, facing left, and this explains the coin’s nickname. It also features the mint date, 1776-1976, at the bottom close to the coin’s rim, and the obverse has the words IN GOD WE TRUST to the left. The mint is on the right, behind the ponytailed hair of the president.

The reverse has the image of a drumming colonial soldier in full regalia. To the left, you will see a victory torch crowned by thirteen stars. These stars represent the original states mapped out in the country when the founding fathers first settled.

1776 Quarter Value Chart

A value chart separates the coin types and attaches a value estimate to each. It is simple enough to explain the coin value at just a glance. Below is the value chart for the 1776 quarter.

Mint Mark Good Fine Extremely Fine Uncirculated
1776 No Mint Mark Clad Quarter $0.25 $3 $6 $10
1776 ‘D’ Clad Quarter $0.25 $1 $4 $8
1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Quarter $0.25 $0.75 $2 $3.40
1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Proof Quarter $0.25 $2 $5 $8
1776 ‘S’ Clad Proof Quarter $0.25 $1 $3 $5.5

These prices are not set in stone, and they are based on several factors. One of the most important ones is the value of silver on the stock market for the silver quarter. If the silver price goes up, the coin’s melt value also increases, changing the price.

There is also the availability of the mint mark on the coin. Mint marks tend to increase the value of old coins, although the difference is not much in this case. The no mint-mark coins appear to have more value than the rest, based on the value chart.

However, the price can vary if a coin collector is inclined to pay more for a coin. For example, a 1776 no-mint-mark quarter in a mint state once sold for $1,200, while a 1776-D quarter in a mint state once sold for over $6,000. A silver-clad S coin sold for $19,200 at a private auction.

Mintage

The mintage is vital to the value of the coin. It is crucial to note that the quarter is not so old as to have so many low-grade coins; minting only started in 1976. However, the mintage was very high; more than 1.6 billion coins were minted and went into circulation.

The Denver mint accounts for almost half of that number, followed closely by the Philadelphia mint. The San Francisco mint accounts for a little over 22 million coins, which is only a fraction of the total number. Nevertheless, the overall mintage makes the 1776 quarter of little value, sometimes as little as the face value.

Grade

As with other coins, the 1776-1976 quarter can increase or decrease in value based on the coin condition. If a coin is clean, with no significant damage, wear, or discoloration, it is in mint state and tends to be the most valuable type. Coin collectors prefer this coin grade because of its overall value.

You can still get good value for coins in extremely fine condition. These coins are close in look and feel to the uncirculated coins, but the difference is obvious when placed side by side. However, such a coin has more worth than one in fine condition or a good-grade coin.

Worn coins are in fine or good condition, with the former being of a slightly higher grade than the latter. This coin was popular because of what it represented, so it is abundant, with many looking worn due to massive circulation.

Also Read: Top 16 Most Valuable Modern Quarters Worth Money

1776 Quarter Value and Varieties Guide

There are several 1776-1976 Washington quarters, each with a different metal composition and value. This section shows specific details for each coin type and how that affects its value.

1776 No Mint Mark Clad Quarter

1776 No Mint Mark Clad Quarter

  • Type: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Mint mark: None
  • Minting Location: Philadelphia
  • Year of minting: 1776-1976
  • Face value: Twenty-five cents
  • $ Price: $0.25 to $10 (or more)
  • Quantity produced: 809,784,016
  • Designer: John Flanagan
  • % Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel (with a clad core)
  • Mass: 5.67 grams
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm

From the details above, you can see that the Philadelphia mint struck more than 800 million coins. This means that the no mint-mark coins are in abundance, whether in mint, extra fine, fine, or good condition.

The coins do not contain any silver but are mostly made up of copper, with a fraction of nickel. The clad-core qualification means the outer layer and the core of the coin comprise different metals, in this case, nickel and copper. Additionally, the coins have no mint marks.

The Philly coins can cost as little as $0.25 or as much as $10 in mint state. However, you can find a coin selling for as high as $1,000 if the buyer has a specific use for it.

1776 ‘D’ Clad Quarter

1776 ‘D’ Clad Quarter

  • Type: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Mint mark: D
  • Minting Location: Denver
  • Year of minting: 1776-1976
  • Face value: Twenty-five cents
  • $ Price: $0.25 to $8 (or more)
  • Quantity produced: 860,118,839
  • Designer: John Flanagan
  • % Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel (with a clad core)
  • Mass: 5.67 grams
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm

As with the Philly coins, the Denver coins are clad core, which means they have the same metal composition as the Philly coins. Unlike most other coins, however, the Denver mint accounts for more coins than the main mint, about 50 million more.

You can tell the Denver coins apart from the rest by checking for a mint mark n the obverse. There should be a D on the right side, behind the president’s bust. In considerably good condition, a D coin can cost about 25 cents, which is its face value. In mint state, you may get between $6 to $8. But in MS+ 68, the coin may fetch as high as $6,400.

1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Quarter

1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Quarter

  • Type: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Mint mark: S
  • Minting Location: San Francisco
  • Year of minting: 1776-1976
  • Face value: Twenty-five cents
  • $ Price: $0.25 to $3 (or more)
  • Quantity produced: 11,000,000
  • Designer: John Flanagan
  • % Composition: 60% copper, 40% silver
  • Mass: 5.75 grams
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm

The San Francisco mint struck about 11 million silver-clad 1776-1976 coins, which is only a tiny fraction of the entire minted coins for that series. The coins are marked by S on the obverse, behind the president’s bust.

Although the coin contains silver, it is in a smaller amount than the copper composition. The silver content does not improve its value, but it also depends on the silver market at the time of sale or purchase. In rare cases, the coin may sell for as much as $19,000.

1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Proof Quarter

1776 ‘S’ Silver-clad Proof Quarter

  • Type: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Mint mark: S
  • Minting Location: San Francisco
  • Year of minting: 1776-1976
  • Face value: Twenty-five cents
  • $ Price: $0.25 to $8 (or more)
  • Quantity produced: 4,000,000
  • Designer: John Flanagan
  • % Composition: 60% copper, 40% silver
  • Mass: 5.75 grams
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm

As with the former coin, this one is mostly copper but also contains a good percentage of silver. A clad-core composition, it has a combination of metals, but the difference is that it is a proof coin. This means it is specially made and is of better quality than regular coins.

1776 ‘S’ Clad Proof Quarter

1776 ‘S’ Clad Proof Quarter

  • Type: Bicentennial Washington Quarter
  • Edge: Reeded
  • Mint mark: S
  • Minting Location: San Francisco
  • Year of minting: 1776-1976
  • Face value: Twenty-five cents
  • $ Price: $0.25 to $5 (or more)
  • Quantity produced: 7,059,099
  • Designer: John Flanagan
  • % Composition: 60% copper, 40% silver
  • Mass: 5.75 grams
  • Diameter: 24.3 mm

This is also a proof coin, which should increase its value. But that does not quite work in this case since it is not the most valuable coin on our list. However, it has the S mint mark and one such coin once sold for about $6,000 at an auction.

Also Read: 10+ Rarest State Quarter Errors Lists (Worth Much Money!!!)

History of the 1776 Quarter

America’s founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but the coin was conceived and went into production a year before. There had not been any coin celebrating the country’s independence since that time, although a few coins had featured George Washington’s bust.

The U.S. coinage was not affected when the country celebrated 100 years of its independence. However, when it was close to the 200th year or the bicentennial celebration, preparations started for minting coins to celebrate this huge hallmark year.

Another primary reason for redesigning the coinage – dollar, half dollar, and quarter – was that there had been no program for commemorative coins since the year 1954. So, the redesign began when the law was amended to accommodate the new commemorative coins.

After a successful redesign period, coin production started in the year 1975. The dollar, half dollar, and the quarter were produced in large quantities, they went into circulation.

The circulation was intensive and extensive because the coins were produced solely for circulation and not for hoarding. John Flanagan designed the obverse decades before that, but a new artist, Jack Ahr, designed the unique reverse for the quarter.

1776 Quarter Grading

It is easy to grade a coin if you know what makes it good or bad. In the right language, there is no bad coin unless there are no distinguishing marks on it. If you can still make out some of the features and details, the coin may be worth something, especially if it is a rare one.

A coin can be in mint state, extremely fine, fine, or in good condition. However, other levels within these conditions further separate them based on specific details. This video explains coin grading in simple terms.

List of 1776 Quarter Errors

Let’s look at the errors that are common with the bicentennial Washington quarter of 1776-1976. With the high mintage, you can expect to see a few.

1. 1776 Quarter Strike-through Error

1776 Quarter Strike through Error

Some bicentennial Washington coins have a strike-through error, where a foreign object falls into the die and when it strikes, the object’s pattern appears on the coin. In excellent condition, this error can improve the value of this coin, and one collector paid about $900 for such a coin.

2. 1776 Quarter Doubled Die Error

1776 Quarter Doubled Die Error

Some of the 1776 quarters feature a clear doubled die error because they were strong on poorly made die. Different aspects of the coins’ details appeared twice or thrice on the affected coins, both on the obverse and reverse. Fortunately, the error increased the value instead of reducing it.

3. 1776 Quarter Unclear Drummer Error

This error occurred when a dirty or greasy die was used to strike the device on the reverse. The result was that the image of the drumming colonial soldier was not clear. It is not an immediately obvious error, but a trained eye will notice it.

1776 Quarter FAQs

Is a 1776 quarter worth anything?

The worth of the 1776 quarter depends on the market, mint mark, and possible errors. Most of them are not worth more than $3, but you may find someone to pay thousands of dollars for a coin in a mint state in the open market.

How many 1776-1976 quarters are there?

There are over 1.6 billion 1776-1976 bicentennial quarters produced and circulated. Three mints struck them, but the Denver mint struck the most coins, while the San Francisco mint struck the lowest amount of coins.

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