Are you curious about the 1997 quarter value? Well, you’re not wrong to come to us for answers! The quarter is a classic piece of currency that has been around for over 200 years, and it’s always interesting to learn about the history and worth of these coins.
This article will focus on the 1997 quarter and discuss its value, including its different circulating varieties, errors, and a brief overview of its history. We also have a short guideline on the grading system for this particular coin. So let’s start!
1997 Quarter Value Details
- Category: Washington Quarter
- Mints: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
- Total Mintage: 1,795,841,678
- Obverse Design: George Washington
- Reverse Design: American Eagle with outspread wings and clutching logs
- Designer: John Flanagan
- Composition: 75% copper; 25% nickel and 90% silver; 10% copper
- Diameter: 24.3 mm (0.9566929 inches)
- Mass: 5.67 grams
- Thickness: 1.75 mm (0.069 inches)
- Edge: Reeded
1997 Quarter Value Chart
Below is the chart of the 1997 quarter value from the Greysheet website. The regular business strike is graded from MS64 to MS68, while the clad proof 1997 quarter is graded from PR66 to PR70.
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1997 Quarter Value Chart |
|||||
| Mint Mark | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 | MS68 |
| 1997 P Quarter Value |
$1.10 |
$1.50 |
$24.30 |
$88 |
– |
| 1997 D Quarter Value |
$1.10 |
$1.50 |
$19.44 |
$73 |
– |
|
1997 Quarter Proof Quarter |
|||||
| PR66 | PR67 | PR68 | PR69 | PR70 | |
| 1997 S Proof Quarter Value |
– |
$1.50 |
$4.05 |
$6.08 |
$14.85 |
| 1997 S Silver Proof Quarter Value |
– |
$8.10 |
$10.80 |
$18.90 |
$68 |
1997 Quarter Value and Varieties Guide
1997 P Mark Quarter Value
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: P
- Place of minting: Philadelphia
- Year of minting: 1997
- Face value: $0.25
- $ price: $1.10 to $88
- Quantity produced: 595,740,000
- Designer: John Flanagan
The highest 1997 P quarters sold in an auction from the Greysheet website data record are both PCGS graded, with the highest being an MS67+, sold for $3,525 in 2016 by Heritage Auctions.
The second highest is an MS68 grade sold for $265 on 3/12/2007 by David Lawrence Rare Coins. This proves that PCGS-graded coins tend to sell for higher prices, as they are known for their strict grading standards and reputation in the numismatic community.
1997 D Mark Quarter Value
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: D
- Place of minting: Denver
- Year of minting: 1997
- Face value: $0.25
- $ Price: $1.10to $546
- Quantity produced: 599,680,000
- Designer: John Flanagan
The 1997 D quarter has a “D” mint mark, meaning this variety was minted in the Denver Mint of the United States. It ranges from $1.10 for a circulated coin to $546 for a certified, uncirculated example. But that price could still get higher.
In fact, the highest selling 25 cents 1997 D quarters in auctions were three coins, all MS68 graded. The first one was sold for $978 in 2004, and the second and third sold for $862 each in November 2007 and February 2007, respectively. These 1997 D quarters were in excellent condition with minimal flaws and high levels of luster, tied for the finest, and certified by either NGC or PCGS.
1997 S Proof Mark Quarter Value
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: S
- Place of minting: San Francisco
- Year of minting: 1997
- Face value: $0.25
- $ Price: $1.50to $14.85
- Quantity produced: 2,055,000
- Designer: John Flanagan
Although a total mintage of more than 2 million was less compared to the 1997 quarters from Philadelphia and Denver, the 1997 S Proof quarter is common. They are worth far less than the first two varieties, with the highest ever being sold for only $74 at the Heritage Auctions in 2011. This was already at the highest grade, which was PR70 Deep Cameo.
But take a look at this 1997 S Proof Quarter that exhibits an appealing appearance without any visible imperfections or remarkable faults. This one is being sold for only $19.99. Not that valuable, but the mere fact that it costs more than face value is already proof of how perfect this one is—really great to be part of a coin collection.
1997 S Silver Proof Mark Quarter Value
- Type: Washington Quarter
- Edge: Reeded
- Mint mark: S
- Place of minting: San Francisco
- Year of minting: 1997
- Face value: $0.25
- $ Price: $8.10to $68
- Quantity produced: 741,678
- Designer: John Flanagan
- ASW: 0.1808 oz
The 1997 S Silver Quarter has little difference from its copper-nickel counteract. In fact, the only difference is their composition since this variety is made of 90% silver and 10% copper. They were both minted at the San Francisco Mint and although it was expected for this variety to have a higher cost than copper-nickel proof 1997 S quarter, that’s not the case.
The highest silver 1997 quarter values were $79 and $84, both of which were at the highest grade (PR70) and sold in the same year (2011) at the Heritage Auction. The first was Deep Cameo, and the other was Ultra Cameo.
Obviously, the Philadelphia and Denver minted variety remained valuable, but then again, considering your 25 cents 1997 S Silver Proof Quarter could be worth higher is not bad.
Also Read: Top 15 Most Valuable Quarters In Circulation
1997 Quarter Value History
The Washington quarter is a coin in the United States that was made in 1932 to honor George Washington’s 200th birthday. It was supposed to be a one-year-only issue, but it proved so popular that Congress decided to continue production in 1934.
If you have a 1997 quarter, you will see three letters engraved on the left corner of the obverse side. The 1997 quarter produced in Philadelphia has a “P” mint mark, while those from Denver and San Francisco have “D” and “S” marks. During this time, three Directors of the Mint served during President Washington’s term: David Rittenhouse, Henry William Desaussure, and Elias Boudinot.
John Flanagan designed it, and his initials “JF” can be found on the obverse side. The reverse side has inscriptions of “IN GOD WE TRUST” and liberty. The obverse side, except for the designer’s initials, has “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR” inscriptions.
Until 1964, quarters were made of 90% fine silver, which changed due to rising silver prices. In the case of the 1997 quarters, only 741,678 were 90% silver and 10% copper. A large quantity of pre-1965 silver Washington quarters was melted down, making it impossible to determine how many are still in circulation today.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton signed a law establishing the program of producing commemorative coins, which began in 1999 and lasted for a decade. It features five states per year, each with a unique design on the reverse and a smaller size to accommodate the new designs.
Also Read: Top 16 Most Valuable Modern Quarters Worth Money
1997 Quarter Value Grading
The 1997 Washington quarter is graded according to the Sheldon Grading Scale from G4 to MS67 for business strike quarters and PR67 to PR70 to clad proof quarters. VG8 represents a coin with significant wear but retains some of its major details. As the grading scale increases, the 1997 quarter value with less wear and better details receives higher grades. To find out if a 1997 quarter value is more than just 25 cents, watch the video below from our favorite, JBCOINSINC.
MS63 might have some scratches, and the shiny surface may not be as bright as a higher-grade coin, while the 1997 quarters graded MS65 and MS67 are considered to be in mint state, which means they have not been circulated and have retained their original luster and details. On the other hand, a PR70 1997 quarter is the best quality with no visible flaws.
List of 1997 Value Quarter Value Errors
1. 1997 Quarter Value Doubled Die Error
A doubled die is when design elements on a working die are duplicated due to a misalignment of the die (hub) during manufacturing. It can result in a faint or hazy offset from the original image.
The degree of doubling can vary from minor to significant. Doubled die errors are rare and highly collectible among coin collectors, with some coins selling for high prices as $50 to $100.
2. 1997 Quarter Value Off-Center Quarter Error
Off-center coins are among the most widely recognized and frequent types of errors, even in 1997 quarters. A quarter with an off-center strike of 10% to 15% displacement may still be considered collectible, but it will generally be worth less than a coin with a centered strike.
There are different types of off-center errors; some could result in incomplete or missing dates. As for the price value, it could sell from $20 to $300, depending on the extent of the off-centered strike.
See what an off-center 1997 quarter looks like in this video from the Old Money Prices as they review rare pieces of this coin.
3. 1997 Quarter Value Wrong Planchet Quarter Error
This type of coin error is called a wrong planchet error, where a coin is struck on a blank or planchet intended for a different denomination or series. In this specific coin error case from the Heritage Auctions website, the 1997 P Washington Quarter was struck on a foreign planchet (disc), likely intended for a different coin.
It has a good design in the middle but is not well made around the edges, but surprisingly weighs less than it should, only 4.66 grams. Plus, the edges’ color differs from the rest of the quarter.
4. 1997 Quarter Value Die Crack Error
A die crack error in coins can happen when a chunk breaks off the die face, leaving a hole called an interior die break. This makes the affected area on the coin look like an indistinctive mix, which is the same case in this 1997 P Quarter die crack error.
The crack was visible on the coin’s reverse side, making it look like it was about to split into two. However, this particular coin was only listed as $5 because this error is shared among the 1997 Washington Quarters.
5. 1997 Quarter Value Over-polished Error
This kind of 1997 quarter error was produced with a distinctive error on its reverse side, which affected the design of the eagle’s legs and claws, but mostly its tail and wing. One can closely look for a disconnection between the tail and the legs to identify the error.
The error was not due to a flaw with the coin itself but resulted from a polished die used to make the impression in the 1997 quarter. Such an error can occur when a newly polished die is used with high press pressure. In this case, the error resulted from the die being over-polished.
Other 1997 quarter errors may appear in circulation, which could be more valuable than anyone thought. Just ensure you don’t mistake the Post Strike Damage (PSD) as an error. Considering they had been minted for years, it’s natural to see some cracks in them and mistake them as minting errors. This is why consulting with a professional numismatist is always important to help identify the right 1997 quarter value.
Also Read: 10+ Rarest State Quarter Errors Lists (Worth Much Money!!!)
1997 Quarter Value FAQs
Q: How much is a 1997 quarter worth with P?
Referring to our value chart above, the 1997 quarter value with the “P” mint mark is worth anywhere between $1.10 (MS64) to $88 (MS68). However, some rare pieces of this coin could be worth more than $3,000, depending on their condition during the buying and selling process.
Q: Are there any errors in the 1997 quarter?
Yes, there are errors in the 1997 quarter minting process. Some of it includes but is not limited to doubled die, off-center, wrong planchet, die crack, and over-polished errors. Each of these errors can affect the appearance and value of the 1997 quarters differently.
Q: Is a 1997 quarter silver?
No, not all 1997 quarters are silver. The only 1997 quarter with silver composition is the 1997 S Silver Proof Quarter. It only has a mintage of 741,678, far less than the total mintage of the 1997 quarter, which is around 1.7 billion (mintage from Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco combined).
So it is very unlikely to come across a 1997 S Silver quarter, especially since most silver coins have been melted down at the beginning of 1965.