Washington Quarter
1932 - 1964
Coin Specifications
| Years Minted | 1932 - 1964 |
|---|---|
| Silver Percentage | 90% |
| Silver Content, as struck | 0.1808 troy oz |
| Silver Content, worn (trading convention) | 0.1787 troy oz 0.715 troy oz per $1 of face value, the figure dealers quote from |
| Face Value | $0.25 |
| Denomination | quarter |
Washington Quarter value by year
Every year the Washington Quarter was struck in silver, with mintage by mint and a melt value that follows the live silver spot price. The series ran from 1932 to 1964 across 32 years of coinage, with none struck in 1933.
- 1932 6,248,800 struck - key date
- 1934 35,439,252 struck
- 1935 43,924,000 struck
- 1936 50,502,000 struck
- 1937 28,537,600 struck
- 1938 12,304,000 struck
- 1939 43,260,000 struck
- 1940 46,745,600 struck
- 1941 111,826,800 struck
- 1942 138,967,200 struck
- 1943 137,495,600 struck
- 1944 132,116,800 struck
- 1945 103,717,601 struck
- 1946 66,712,800 struck
- 1947 43,426,400 struck
- 1948 67,922,800 struck
- 1949 19,380,400 struck
- 1950 56,279,730 struck
- 1951 87,850,902 struck
- 1952 102,283,093 struck
- 1953 88,664,520 struck
- 1954 108,552,425 struck
- 1955 21,362,581 struck
- 1956 76,478,500 struck
- 1957 124,456,160 struck
- 1958 84,484,900 struck
- 1959 86,438,232 struck
- 1960 92,164,324 struck
- 1961 120,692,928 struck
- 1962 163,710,756 struck
- 1963 209,604,184 struck
- 1964 1,264,526,113 struck
Historical Context
The Washington Quarter was introduced in 1932 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. Designed by John Flanagan, it replaced the Standing Liberty Quarter and featured Washington’s profile on the obverse. The design has remained largely unchanged since its introduction, making it one of the longest-running coin designs in U.S. history.
Composition and Silver Content
From 1932 to 1964, Washington Quarters were struck in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 6.25 grams. Each coin contains 0.1808 troy ounces of pure silver. After 1964, the composition changed to copper-nickel clad, making pre-1965 quarters valuable for their silver content.
Investment and Collectibility
Pre-1965 Washington Quarters are among the most popular junk silver coins for investors due to their wide availability and recognizable design. Key dates for collectors include the 1932-D and 1932-S, which had lower mintages. Common date quarters in circulated condition trade primarily for their silver melt value.