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State Quarters

The 50 state quarters were minted from 1999-2008. The standard quarters are made of a clad composition that contains copper and nickel. Clad proof quarters and silver proof quarters were also minted and they sell for more money. Keep reading to learn more about these coins.

State Quarter

2008 Alaska Quarter

History

The 50 state quarters were minted in order to commemorative the history of each state and to generate new interest in coin collecting. The state quarter program was a massive success as many people collected the coins. After the program ended, the mint issued the D.C. and U.S. Territory quarters and then later the America the Beautiful quarters.

Series

Different series are available. State quarters were minted out of three different mints- Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The quarters with the P mint mark were minted out of Philadelphia. Quarters with the D mint mark were minted out of Denver. Lastly proof quarters with the S mint mark were minted out of San Francisco. The mint mark can be found on the obverse side of each coin under the "IN GOD WE TRUST" motto.

Design

The obverse side of the coin features a portrait of George Washington. It's the same portrait that is on the earlier Washington quarters. The only difference is that some of the wording that was previously on the reverse side of the coin was moved to the obverse side of the coin. John Flanagan was the original designer and Mint sculptor William Cousins made the modifications.

The reverse side of each coin features a design related to an individual state. Multiple designers were used to create these designs.

Value

The clad quarters and the silver quarters have different values.

Clad Quarters

Most clad state quarters in circulated condition will only be worth their face value of $0.25. Clad quarters in uncirculated condition can sell for a premium. Clad proof quarters will sell for higher prices.

Silver Quarters

Any silver state quarter is worth at least its weight in silver. The silver melt value for each coin is $5.51. This scrap value is calculated from the current silver spot price of $30.49 per ounce.

Ultimately, the value of a state quarter will depend on its series and its condition. See the list below to learn the value for any individual coin.

 

Sources:

The Red Book