Whether you’re a newbie coin collector or already a connoisseur, it’s important that you dive deep into the technicalities of a coin. And when it comes to the 1968 Quarter value, there are a lot of things that you ought to learn. These include the dimensions, the grading, and even the errors of the specific coin.
More so, it pays off to have an idea of how this coin has evolved throughout the years. So, let’s take a closer look at all the key details and give you everything that you need before kicking off your collection.
1968 Quarter Details
- Category: Washington Quarter
- Mintage: Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver
- Total mintage: 325,307,006
- Obverse designer: John Flanagan
- Reverse designer: John Flanagan
- Edge: Reeded
- Diameter: 24.3 mm
- Thickness: 0.069 inches
- Composition: Nickel and copper
- Weight: 5.67 grams
From the name itself, a 1968 Quarter is a 25-cent coin that is still in circulation even now. There are actually three mintage locations during this particular year, including Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver. Those with no mint marks indicate that the coin was struck at Philadelphia Mint.
It’s because Philadelphia Mint didn’t use any coin indication during their production, unlike Denver or San Francisco. So, quarter coins struck in Denver have D on the obverse while those produced in San Francisco have S.During this year of production, the Philadelphia Mint manufactured more than 220 million coins.
Accordingly, this was way lower than the previous year’s total mintage of 1.5 billion. Meanwhile, Denver had 101,534,000 while San Francisco minted 325,307,006. The coins produced in San Francisco were all proof coins, which means these were highly collectible because of their limited number.
The design of the coin is pretty much the same as other Washington quarter coins. The obverse side features the portrait of George Washington, facing to the left. The word “LIBERTY” is inscribed in the above section while the year 1968 is written below.
You can also find the national motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the left side. As to the reverse side of the coin, this showcases the standard eagle design with a cluster of arrows. And similar to the position of the face of Washington on the obverse, the eagle is also facing to the left.
Some writings on the reverse include “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on the top as well as QUARTER DOLLAR on the bottom. All these designs were created by John Flanagan, a renowned coin sculptor in the 19th century.
A key feature of the 1968 Quarter is its composition, which is quite different from the previous Quarter’s coins. The reason for such was due to the modification of the materials used since 1965. Instead of the usual copper and silver mixture, it was changed into copper and nickel.
This means that this coin does not have any silver content, which largely impacts its worth. Of course, coins with silver have better value compared to those without. But don’t worry because the valuation of the coins still varies accordingly.
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1968 Quarter Value Chart |
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| Mint Mark | MS60 | MS65 | Proof |
| 1968 Quarter No Mint | ― | $9.13 | ― |
| 1968 D Quarter | ― | $6.55 | ― |
| 1968 S Quarter | ― | ― | $4.52 |
1968 Quarter Value and Varieties
With three US mints during its year of production, it’s important to have a thorough idea of how each of these types differs from one another. It’s because the location is one of the contributing factors when it comes to estimating the value of the coin.
More so, you should take into account the materials used. Since a 1968 quarter generally does not have silver content, it significantly affects the worth of the coin as well. And of course, you shouldn’t forget about its current condition, whether it’s very fine or it has a mint state.
One surprising aspect, however, is the fact that there were a few 1968 Quarter coins with silver. These were due to an error during one of the productions. We will discuss more of this error below for your reference.
1968 Quarter No Mint Mark
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: None
- Place of minting: Philadelphia
- Year of minting:1968
- Face value:$0.25
- $ price:$0.25 to $9.13
- Quantity produced: 220,731,500
- Designer: John Flanagan
With over 220 million pieces produced, the 1968 Quarter no mint mark coins were widely circulated in the market. These coins were struck in Philadelphia, which is known to be one of the most popular US Mints.
Because of the large number of coins, the value of these coins was pretty much affected. In fact, its current worth would normally be the same as its face value, or simply $0.25. However, if you’ve got an MS65, the worth can surge up to $9.13.
1968 D Quarter
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: D
- Place of minting: Denver
- Year of minting:1968
- Face value:$0.25
- $ price:$0.25 to $6.55
- Quantity produced: 101,534,000
- Designer: John Flanagan
There were over 101 million coins produced in Denver during 1968. These coins were generally circulated, though a couple of thousands were uncirculated.
Thus, finding coins in a mint state might be a challenge, especially with their rareness. There were only a number of 1968 D Quarter coins with MS65+ grades. Depending on the condition of the coin, a 1968 D Quarter coin can be valued from its face value of $0.25 up to $6.55.
1968 S Quarter
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: S
- Place of minting: San Francisco
- Year of minting:1968
- Face value:$0.25
- $ Price: $4.52
- Quantity produced: 3,041,506
- Designer: John Flanagan
The minting of the Washington Quarter in San Francisco was designated for proof coins. This is the reason why there were only 3 million coins produced in that year. Since proof coins are generally not for public use, their value is a bit higher.
For the 1968 S Quarter, you’d get at least $4.52 for a good-condition coin that is uncirculated. Accordingly, if the condition of the coin is top-notch, then you can expect something higher. For instance, a PR65 grade settles around $5 while a PR69 was bought during a 2007 auction for $2,875.
Also Read: Top 15 Most Valuable Quarters In Circulation
1968 Quarter History
The 1968 Quarter is part of the Washington Quarter mintage figures, which is quite common because of its abundance. These standard quarters were made from 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. Before the nickel-clad copper composition, quarter coins used silver.
However, this was changed due to the shortage of silver. As a result, former president Lyndon Johnson passed the 1965 Coinage Act to eliminate silver from coin production. The removal of silver from the equation led to the decline of quarter coins’ worth from 1965 onwards.
More so, there were some modifications for coins struck from 1965 to 1967. Mint marks (D for Denver and S for San Francisco) were not used. Hence, there were no indications of mint locations for Washington Quarters during these years.
By 1968, the mint marks were reused. However, during this year, the San Francisco Mint was designated to only produce proof coins, which were mostly for collectors. This is the reason why there’s only a limited number of coins struck in San Francisco in 1968.
In the subsequent years, there were some minor adjustments in the design to ensure that the new materials (copper and nickel) were incorporated properly. Some of the tunings made were the slight lowering of the relief of the reverse side as well as the sharpened details of the obverse side.
And because of the high number of coins struck during this year, it won’t be that difficult to catch some of these in the market, especially the circulated pieces. But of course, most of these are already worn. Meanwhile, uncirculated pieces in mint condition are somehow rare.
Also Read: Top 16 Most Valuable Modern Quarters Worth Money
1968 Quarter Grading
When it comes to the grading of the 1968 Quarter, the condition of the coin is the primary concern. It should be noted that the value of these quarters is not that high, though some could still be expensive, especially the uncirculated ones with a grade higher than MS65.
List of 1968 Quarter Error
Errors and inconsistencies in the production are definitely normal, and this is evident in some 1968 Quarter coins. From double die to off-center, below are some of the issues that occurred during the production of Quarter coins this year.
1. 1968 Quarter Minted on a Silver Planchet
In terms of errors during the 1968 production, this is probably the most remarkable issue. There was a certain 1968 S Quarter coin that was struck on the old, silver planchet. This means that the composition was not nickel and copper but rather silver and copper.
Because of this error, this particular coin is considered a rare piece. More so, since it’s a proof type produced in San Francisco, hence definitely more valuable than circulated ones. But the thing is, it’s quite difficult to find this kind of coin. Thus, you need to carefully check its physical characteristics.
To do so, you need to assess the weight of the coin. We’ve mentioned earlier that the weight of a 1968 Quarter with no silver is only 5.67 grams. Thus, if the coin weighs 6.25 grams, it means that there are silver elements, which relatively helps in spiking its value.
Another way to check if the coin is really a silver one is through its physical surface. Most silver quarters encompass a much glossier exterior. Not only that, silver ones do not have any copper or nickel features that can be seemingly found along the edge of the coin.
2. 1968 Quarter Doubled Die Error
Another error that has been recorded was the double die, which happens when the surface is struck twice. As a result, there may be imperfections in the physical characteristics of the coin. Although double died coins did not comply with the minting specifications, the value of these coins is striking.
Because of the rarity of the 1968 quarter with double die errors, these are significantly valuable among collectors. So, if you’ve got one, it means you’re lucky because these coins are very hard to find nowadays.
3. 1968 Quarter Off-center
The off-center error also happened in some Quarter coins in 1968. Due to this production problem, some coins only showcase the design by 15% to 30%. Most of these off-center coins are valued at around $50 to $100, which makes these coins very treasured.
Accordingly, there were a number of coins that lacked at least 50% of their entire design. Fascinatingly, this adds up to this rarity and value. Experts believe that this type of coin can be appraised for $200, perhaps even more.
Also Read: 10+ Rarest State Quarter Errors Lists (Worth Much Money!!!)
1968 Quarter FAQ
1. Is a 1968 quarter rare?
In general, a 1968 Quarter is not rare, especially if we take into account its composition. Unlike previous versions of Washington Quarters that were made of 90% silver, these contain copper and nickel.
However, there were instances during the production in 1968 when the San Francisco Mint used a silver planchet meant for previous years’ Washington quarters. Because of this occurrence, these silver, proof coins were dubbed as rare.
2. Are 1968 D quarters worth anything?
With a clad composition, 1968 D Quarters commonly follow its face value, not unless these are uncirculated pieces in MS+ condition. The reason for its low value is that these coins no longer incorporated silver into the composition.
3. What is a mint mark on the 1968 quarter?
Since there are three minting locations during the year 1968, the mint marks vary accordingly. For coins struck in Philadelphia, there are no mint marks. On the other hand, coins produced in Denver come with the letter D on the obverse side. Meanwhile, San Francisco coins have an S mark as well.
4. How much is the 1968 quarter worth?
According to the experts, the worth of a 1968 Quarter largely depends on a series of factors. These include the condition, the minting location, and errors of the coin. But, in general, circulated coins settle around $0.25 to $9.13.
There were some uncirculated pieces with rare errors that were valued way more than the usual amount. More so, proof ones, which were minted in San Francisco, are considered to be pricier than the other coins.
Good morning, I have some coins that I am interested in getting rid of. Do you deal with mint error coins?
I and a friend travel for pool tournaments, and on the long car rides I have started sorting through our coins to see if we can find any valuable ones. I found a 1968 quarter, no mint, that is got interesting errors, but I don’t see you mentioning anything of that type. 4 areas have a raised area next to a dipped in area. 3 are smaller and only because of the bigger one did I see them, but the bigger one is easily noticeable, where the top of George’s head is dipped in and that metal appears to have created a “man bun” at the back of his head. Funny looking, especially because guys wear those now. Have you seen or heard of that before??