Washington Silver Quarter (1932–1964)
The Washington quarter began as a tribute for the two-hundredth anniversary of George Washington's birth and became the longest-running quarter design in American history. Its silver years, 1932 to 1964, include two of the best-known key dates of the twentieth century and a long run of common dates that trade largely on condition and silver content.
This page explains the coin's origins, how to grade it, the dates and varieties to know, and how silver Washington quarters trade on Changes Hands.
Quick facts
| Years | 1932–1964 (silver issues; none dated 1933) |
|---|---|
| Designer | John Flanagan |
| Denomination | 25 cents |
| Composition | 90% silver, 10% copper (0.1808 troy oz silver) |
| Weight | 6.25 g |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Mints | Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D), San Francisco (S); mint mark on the reverse below the wreath |
| Edge | Reeded |
History: a bicentennial coin that stayed
Congress approved a new quarter for the 1932 bicentennial of Washington's birth, replacing the Standing Liberty quarter. The Commission of Fine Arts favored a design by the sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser, but Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon chose the entry by John Flanagan, a New York sculptor. Flanagan based his portrait on the bust of Washington by Jean-Antoine Houdon. Fraser's design was not forgotten: it returned as the quarter's obverse in 2022.
The design outlasted the anniversary. No quarters were struck in 1933, production resumed in 1934, and the coin remained 90% silver until the Coinage Act of 1965 switched it to copper-nickel clad.
Washington faces left, with LIBERTY above his head, IN GOD WE TRUST beside the neck and the date below. The reverse shows an eagle with spread wings perched on a bundle of arrows, two olive branches beneath it and E PLURIBUS UNUM above its head. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA arcs around the top and QUARTER DOLLAR along the bottom. It is a restrained, medal-like design that reads clearly even after years in circulation.
How to grade a Washington quarter
Wear shows first in Washington's hair above and behind the ear, the curls and ribbon at the back, the cheek and the jaw, and on the eagle's breast feathers, wing tops and legs. The Changes Hands Grading Standard requires, on both sides:
- Good: date and mint mark readable, portrait outlined with the hair mostly flat, eagle outlined, no letter missing from the reverse legends.
- Very Good: hairline and ear outlined, some curls behind the ear, wing outlines and some primary feathers at the tips.
- Fine: partial hair detail around the ear, about half the breast feathers, most wing feathers outlined.
- Very Fine: hair detail except on the highest strands, most breast feathers, distinct wing feathers.
- Extremely Fine: sharp hair with wear only above the ear and on the cheek; breast feathers complete except at the center.
The 1932 keys and their fakes
Denver struck 436,800 quarters in 1932 and San Francisco 408,000, against several million at Philadelphia. Few of the branch-mint coins were saved, and both are now the keys of the series. That makes them a target for adding a D or S to a Philadelphia coin, as well as for die-struck counterfeits. The mint mark's shape and position must match genuine examples. Genuine 1932 coins often have weak reverse rims, so a weak rim alone is not a red flag.
Silver, clad and common problems
Every Washington quarter dated 1964 or earlier is 90% silver. Clad quarters from 1965 on show a copper stripe on the edge and weigh about 5.67 grams instead of 6.25. Among ordinary dates, cleaning is the most frequent problem: a bright, hairlined surface on a worn coin is easy to spot once you have seen original gray toning next to it. Heavy scratches and rim dings are common on coins that saw decades of use.
Buying and selling Washington quarters on Changes Hands
Silver dates from 1934 to 1964 trade in house-graded pools, from Good up to Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated. The keys have their own books: the 1932-D in house Good and the 1932-S in house Good. Worn coins with weak dates go to the cull bulk class, and plain circulated silver quarters can also trade as 90% silver quarters.
Buyers pay no fees. Sellers pay 3% plus a one-time grading fee, charged only when a coin sells. Because coins stay vaulted, a trade transfers title without shipping anything. Learn more on how it works.
Key dates
| Date | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1932-D | 436,800 struck. The key of the series, with many added-D alterations in circulation. |
| 1932-S | 408,000 struck, the lowest mintage of the series. Scarce in every grade, though the 1932-D is generally the harder of the two in uncirculated condition. |
| 1936-D and 1937-S | Semi-keys of the 1930s that are scarce in better grades. |
| 1934 and 1937 Doubled Die Obverse | Doubling in the obverse lettering; attribute with reference images. |
| 1942-D, 1943 and 1943-S Doubled Die Obverse | Wartime doubled dies prized by variety collectors and excluded from the pools. |
| 1950-D/S and 1950-S/D | Over-mint-mark varieties where one mint letter was punched over another. |
Washington Silver Quarter markets
- Washington Silver Quarter, Culls
- Washington Silver Quarter, Silver dates 1934–1964, Good
- Washington Silver Quarter, Silver dates 1934–1964, Very Fine
- Washington Silver Quarter, Silver dates 1934–1964, Extremely Fine
- Washington Silver Quarter, Silver dates 1934–1964, About Uncirculated
- Washington Quarter 1932-D, House Good
- Washington Quarter 1932-S, House Good
Frequently asked questions
What years of Washington quarters are silver?
All Washington quarters dated 1932 through 1964 are 90% silver, each containing about 0.1808 troy ounces. From 1965 they are copper-nickel clad, apart from special silver proof issues.
Why are the 1932-D and 1932-S quarters valuable?
They had tiny mintages compared with the Philadelphia issue, and few were saved in 1932, a Depression year. Collectors need them to complete the set, which keeps demand steady. This is general information, not investment advice.
Where is the mint mark on a silver Washington quarter?
On the reverse, below the wreath under the eagle. Philadelphia coins have no mint mark. The mint mark moved to the obverse in 1968.
Were any quarters made in 1933?
No. No quarters were struck in 1933, so a 1933 Washington quarter is not genuine. Production resumed in 1934.
How can I tell a silver quarter from a clad one?
Look at the date and the edge. A silver quarter is dated 1964 or earlier and has a solid silver edge with no copper stripe. It also weighs 6.25 grams, compared with about 5.67 grams for clad.