1776-1976 Washington Bicentennial Quarter Value Guide

The 1776-1976 Washington Bicentennial Quarter is a unique commemorative issue celebrating the 200th anniversary of American independence. It is highly collectible due to its distinctive dual-date and the 'Colonial Drummer' reverse design, which replaced the standard eagle for a two-year production period.

What affects the value of 1776-1976 Washington Bicentennial Quarter?

• The presence of an 'S' mint mark indicating a 40% silver composition rather than standard copper-nickel clad.
• The overall strike quality and preservation of the coin's luster, especially in uncirculated Mint State grades.
• The existence of rare minting errors, such as doubled dies or off-center strikes, which significantly increase value.
• The specific minting location, as production numbers varied between the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints.

How to Identify 1776-1976 Washington Bicentennial Quarter?

• Look for the dual date '1776-1976' on the obverse side below Washington's bust.
• Identify the reverse design featuring a Colonial drummer and a victory torch encircled by thirteen stars.
• Check for a mint mark (P, D, or S) located to the right of Washington's ponytail to determine the origin.
• Verify the composition is copper-nickel clad, though some silver-clad proof versions were minted for collectors.

History of 1776-1976 Washington Bicentennial Quarter

In 1973, the U.S. Mint held a public design competition for the reverse of the Bicentennial coinage. Jack L. Ahr won with his Colonial Drummer design. To ensure enough coins were available for the celebration, no quarters dated 1975 were produced; instead, both 1975 and 1976 quarters bore the dual date 1776-1976. Over 1.6 billion were minted, making them very common today.