valuable state quarters, USA News: Starting in 1999, the U.S. Mint began a years-long program where they released a specially designed quarter for all 50 states. It is widely lauded as the most successful coin program in the Mint’s history, so you may naturally be thinking that taking some of these quarters to the resale market could be a simple way to earn extra income. However, despite their popularity, most state quarters are not worth much more than 25 cents.
There are some rarities and misprints, though, that could be worth much more than face value. Check your change jar for these nine state quarters that could be worth serious cash.
Wisconsin Quarters With Extra Leaves
The reverse side of the Wisconsin quarters features a cow, cheese, and corn stalk, and a minting error affecting the stalks. This makes some of the coins minted in Denver appear to have an extra leaf. There are actually two variations of the “extra leaf” Wisconsin quarters, and on the resale market, sellers label the coins either “high” or “low” to indicate where on the stalk the extra leaf appears. Coins in good condition could sell for well over a hundred dollars, and it’s not unheard of for one in excellent condition to sell for thousands. One sold for a record of $2,530, according to the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).
Missing Clad and New York Errors
When a coin is labeled “missing clad,” it means that its outer nickel layer is missing, so the coin appears to be nickel on one side and copper on the other. These missing clad mistakes could be quite valuable to collectors, with a California state quarter with a missing clad on the reverse listed for nearly $600 on eBay.
A rare find on New York quarters minted in Denver could be seen on the reverse of the coin, where the Statue of Liberty appears to be missing one of the spikes in her crown. A coin certified by PCGS was listed on eBay for nearly $300, though it only has a moderate MS64 grade.
Kansas Quarters and “In God We Rust”
There are two Kansas state quarters, minted in 2005, with errors that make them valuable. One of those errors is known as the humpback bison because the reverse side of the coin, which features a bison in a flower field, has an error tag that looks like it could be an additional hump on the animal. A grease error resulted in some Kansas quarters minted in 2005 having quite the comical misprint. A “T” got obscured, so the front of the coins appears to read “In God We Rust” instead of “Trust.” These quarters in decent condition are regularly listed for more than $100 on eBay.
Minnesota, Washington D.C., Wyoming, and Colorado Variations
Some Minnesota quarters minted in Philadelphia have a unique appearance due to a double die error. On the reverse of the coin, where trees appear on a lakeshore, the error makes it appear that there is an extra spruce tree. Though versions of the misprint were reportedly sold for upwards of $500 when they were first discovered, they are not always quite as valuable now. A coin in good condition could be worth around $145, while one with an excellent MS67 grade could be worth up to $275, PCGS reports.
After releasing quarters for all 50 states, the U.S. Mint also released coins for Washington D.C. and five territories. Like most state quarters, these are often not worth more than face value. However, a D.C. quarter with a small double die error on the reverse could net you $75 or more on eBay. Double die errors occur during the minting process due to doubled images on the die that strikes these coins, and while some are obvious, the D.C. one is quite subtle.
A rare double die error on certain Wyoming quarters minted in Philadelphia could be worth up to $100 in the right resale market. The coin’s reverse features a cowboy riding a horse, and the minor misprint could be seen under the horse’s mane as well as its tail. PCGS reports that one in excellent condition once sold for more than $400.
A rare error on certain Colorado coins minted in Philadelphia makes it appear that there’s an extra mountain peak among the Rockies on the coin’s reverse. The value of these quarters varies depending on the condition.
While reselling valuable coins could be lucrative, most state quarters are not worth much more than 25 cents. There are a few, however, that could sell for well over $100, mostly due to unique minting errors. If you notice something funky on a state quarter, like an extra mountain top on the Colorado quarter or a rusty message on the Kansas quarter, be sure to get the coins graded to assess the resale value.
