Coin Value Finder » 1981 Quarter Value: are “P”, “D”, “S” mint mark worth money?

1981 Quarter Value: are “P”, “D”, “S” mint mark worth money?

The 1981 Washington quarter is part of the US Mint’s long-running quarter-dollar coin series. It features the president on the obverse, while the eagle is minted on the reverse side.

Business-strike quarters made in 1981 were minted in Philadelphia and Denver, although proof coins were minted in San Francisco. Those coming from the latter are categorized into types 1 (filled S) and 2 (clear S.)

Because of these variations, this quarter can cost anywhere from $4.63 to as much as $2,530.

If you have this coin and want to know its worth, read below to learn more about its value.

1981 Quarter Details

1981 Quarter Details

  • Category: Quarter
  • Minted at: Philadelphia
  • Mintage: 601,716,000
  • Obverse Designer: John Flanagan
  • Reverse Designer: John Flanagan
  • Metal Composition: 67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel
  • Mass / Weight: 67 grams
  • Diameter: 3 mm
  • Thickness:75 mm
  • Shape: Round
  • Edge: Reeded

1981 Quarter Value Chart

Mint Mark Good Fine Extremely Fine Uncirculated Proof
1981 P Washington Quarter $0.30 $0.30 $0.30 $6.81 n/a
1981 D Washington Quarter $0.30 $0.30 $0.30 $6.81 n/a
1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 1 – Filled S n/a n/a n/a n/a $4.63
1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 2 – Clear S n/a n/a n/a n/a $6.81

1981 Quarter Value and Varieties Guides

1981 P Washington Quarter

1981 P Washington Quarter

  • Category: Quarter
  • Designation: MS
  • Minted at: Philadelphia
  • Mint Mark: P
  • Strike Type: Business
  • Year of Minting: 1981
  • Face Value:$0.25 (quarter)
  • Price:$6.81 to $775
  • Quantity produced: 601,716,000
  • Designer – Engraver: John Flanagan
  • Metal Composition: 67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel
  • Mass / Weight: 67 grams
  • Diameter: 3 mm
  • Coinage Years: 1965 to 1998

The 1981 P Washington quarter’s obverse/front side is adapted from the bust sculpted by Jean Antoine Houdon. Here, the first American president is facing right – with inscriptions such as “Liberty” on the top part and the year 1981 on the bottom part.

The motto “in God we trust” is marked under Washington’s chin, while a small ‘P’ mark is located near his hair.

The obverse, meanwhile, bears the bald American eagle. Not only is it the country’s national bird, but it’s also the image of the Presidential seal.

The eagle also holds several (if not mixed) symbolisms. First, it has two olive branches – which signify peace. However, there is an arrow beneath the eagle’s talons – which suggests the opposite: war.

The country’s name is inscribed on the top part of the quarter, while below it is the motto “E Pluribus Unum.” The coin’s quarter-dollar label is written below the mighty eagle.

Out of the 600 million 1981 quarters produced, experts place the all-grade survival rate to be at 180.5 million. There are 54.1 million with grades 60 or more, while there are only about 10.8 million grade 65+ 1981 quarters.

1981 D Washington Quarter

1981 D Washington Quarter

  • Category: Quarter
  • Designation: MS
  • Minted at: Denver
  • Mint Mark: D
  • Strike Type: Business
  • Year of Minting:1981
  • Face Value:$0.25 (quarter)
  • Price: $6.81 to $375
  • Quantity produced: 575,722,833
  • Designer – Engraver: John Flanagan
  • Metal Composition: 67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel
  • Mass / Weight: 67 grams
  • Diameter: 3 mm
  • Coinage Years: 1965 to 1998

The 1981 D Washington quarter is similar to the P edition, except it has the letter D mark to represent where it was minted (Denver).

Because half a billion D Washington quarters were produced, it’s pretty easy to find. This explains its low value, with MS 65 grades of this coin only costing about $7.

That said, an MS 67 D Washington quarter was sold for $375 in the year 2011.

To date, there are about 201.5 million surviving 1981 D quarters. More than 60 million are graded 60 or better, while only about 6 million D quarters have a grade of 65 or more.

1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 1 – Filled S

1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 1 - Filled S

  • Category: Quarter
  • Minted at: San Francisco
  • Year of Minting: 1981
  • Face Value: $0.25 (quarter)
  • Price: $4.63 to $22
  • Quantity produced: N/A (Uncirculated)
  • Designer – Engraver: John Flanagan
  • Metal Composition: 67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel
  • Mass / Weight: 67 grams
  • Diameter: 3 mm

The type 1 – filled S 1981 Washington quarter is a proof coin with a unique marking. Its S mint label is smaller and partially filled. As such, it’s not as clear as the type 2 1981 Washington quarter.

As a proof coin, the type 1 edition is not that expensive. Prices start at $4.63, to as much as $22 for a PR 70 edition. However, there was a type 1 coin that was auctioned for $508.

1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 2 – Clear S

1981 S Washington Quarter: Type 2 - Clear S

  • Category: Quarter
  • Minted at: San Francisco
  • Year of Minting:1981
  • Face Value:$0.25 (quarter)
  • Price:$6.81 to $145
  • Quantity produced: N/A (Uncirculated)
  • Designer – Engraver: John Flanagan
  • Metal Composition: 67% Copper – 8.33% Nickel
  • Mass / Weight: 67 grams
  • Diameter: 3 mm

The 1981 Washington quarter – type 2 is known as the ‘Clear S’ version. As the name suggests, the S is well-defined and clearer.

Compared to the type 1 variety, the type 2 coin is higher in value. It has been sold for as low as $6.81 to as high as $145 for a PR 70 coin. However, one such quarter has been auctioned for an unbelievable $2,530.

Also Read: Top 15 Most Valuable Quarters In Circulation

1981 Quarter History

The 1981 Washington quarter is one of the editions released by the US Mint Department. In fact, it is heralded as one of the longest-running coin series in the US.

Initial Design and Composition

The 25-cent coin, which John Flanagan originally designed, was first struck in 1932. This was produced to commemorate George Washington, who celebrated his bicentennial the same year.

A contest was held for the coin design initially. The winner was Laura Gardin Fraser, wife of Buffalo nickel designer James Earle Fraser. However, the Treasury Secretary rejected her design. Instead, he went with Flanagan’s design, which was based on the bust sculpture by Frenchman Jean-Antoine Houdon.

The first Washington quarters were made with silver until they transitioned to copper nickel in 1965. This shift was due to the rapid depletion of the Treasury’s silver stocks.

Fun fact: no mint-marked coins were produced from 1965 to 1968.

Washington Quarter Design Changes

The 1975 and 1976 quarters were designed with a dual date feature to commemorate the American bicentennial. This special edition coin bears a unique Colonial drummer boy design.

The reverse eagle design was re-continued from 1977 until 1998. Ever since then, Washington quarters have been designed with various state images.

The obverse retained George Washington’s bust design – although the image was updated by lawyer William Cousins.

In 2008, congress passed the ‘America’s Beautiful National Quarter Dollar Coin Act.” As a result, Washington quarters were outfitted with either a National Park or National Forest per jurisdiction.

In 2009, designs featuring the District of Columbia – and the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands were also produced.

The year 2021 saw the return of the original obverse design. However, the reverse was replaced with the image of Washington crossing the Delaware river on December 25, 1776.

The winning entry for the latest design is that of artist/illustrator Benjamin Sowards. This was then sculpted into the coins by designer and engraver Michael Gaudioso.

Also Read: Top 16 Most Valuable Modern Quarters Worth Money

1981 Quarter Grading

Coins like the 1981 Washington quarter are graded according to the following conditions:

  • Poor
  • Fair
  • About Good
  • Good
  • Very Good
  • Fine
  • Very Fine
  • Extremely Fine

Uncirculated editions, on the other hand, may be categorized as select, choice, gem, superb gem, or perfect.

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

Lists of 1981 Quarter Errors

As with most American coins, many 1981 quarters were subject to error. Here are some of the more common examples, with many giving collectors vast amounts of money:

1. 1981 Quarter Off-Center Error

1981 Quarter Off-Center

A wrongly-placed planchet can result in an off-center error. This occurs because of the inaccurate die punch, so the coin isn’t struck completely.

As a result, the image is not in the middle – so a part of the coin has some space in it.

Value-wise, the farther the image from the center is, the higher the coin’s price.

2. 1981 Quarter Double Die Error

1981 Quarter Double Die

This standard coin error results when the die strikes the same planchet several times. The result is ‘doubled’ letters, numbers, and mint marks.

Double-die errors such as this one are pretty popular with collectors.

3. 1981 Quarter Flip-Over Double Strike Error

This coin is a result of a double-strike minting misprint.

Upon close examination, you’ll see that the first die is struck on a flipped-over lower rim. The second strike, on the other hand, will produce a sharper imprint.

Despite this ‘damaged’ design, flipped-over, double-struck coins are known to fetch a hefty amount in auction houses.

4. 1981 Quarter With Filled D/P Print Mark Error

1981 Quarter With Filled D/P Print Mark

The D or P in the 1981 Washington Quarter can be filled due to a printing error. While such mistakes are considered collectible models, they’re not as expensive as the other issues in this list.

5. 1981 Quarter Struck on a One Cent Planchet

1981 Quarter Struck on a One Cent Planchet
Image Credit: coins.ha

The most common double denomination error in a 1981 quarter is one that has been struck on a one cent planchet. Despite this, an MS 64 of this variety has been sold for an impressive $960.

6. 1981 Quarter Struck on a Five Cent Planchet Error

1981 Quarter Struck on a Five Cent Planchet

Several Philadelphia-made 1981 quarters were minted on a 5-cent or nickel planchet. This coin, being a rare error, can shell in as much as $100.

Note: the video above also documents an erroneous quarter struck on a five-cent planchet.

7. 1981 Quarter Struck on a Dime Planchet Error

1981 Quarter Struck on a Dime Planchet Error
Image Credit: coins.ha

Some 1981 Washington quarters have been mistakenly struck on a dime planchet too. Because of the size difference between the two coins, the obverse image is not in the center.

The mint mark and the word “Liberty” are also near the right side.

1981 Quarter FAQs

Is the 1981 quarter worth anything?

Yes, especially if it’s graded MS 67 or higher. A 1981 P Washington quarter of this quality was sold for $775, while a D Washington quarter of the same grade was auctioned off for $175.

Type 2 1981 S quarters have also been known to fetch $2,530 from passionate coin collectors.

What is the difference between a 1981 S Quarter Type 1 and Type 2?

The type 1 quarter is a coin with a filled ‘S’ mint mark. The type 2 quarter, on the other hand, has a more precise, well-defined S.

The former sells lower at $503, while the type 2 coin can fetch as much as $2,530 from an auction.

How much is a 1981 S quarter Type 1 worth?

Experts say the 1981 S Washington quarter – type 1 is worth $4.63 or more. Although Type 2 is more valuable, this edition can sell for $503 to the right collector.

How much is a 1981 proof quarter worth?

1981 Proof quarters, such as the type 1 and type 2 editions, can cost anywhere from $4.63 to $6.81. However, they can be auctioned off for as much as $2,530.

How much is a 1981-P error quarter worth?

The price varies according to the error. For example, a 1981 quarter struck with a one-cent planchet was sold for a stunning $960.

What is the 1981 quarter error?

Various errors can be spotted in the 1981 quarters. Examples include an off-center design, a double die design, a flip-over double strike error, or a filled D/P print mark.

Some quarters are also mistakenly struck on one-cent, five-cent, and ten-cent planchets.

Is there anything special about the 1981 quarter?

1981 quarters are unique for they’re worth higher than their face value.

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