A quarter dollar coin, commonly known as a quarter, is a coin valued at 25 cents, representing one-fourth of a dollar.
Here’s some additional information about the US quarter dollar:
- Origin: The quarter’s existence is attributed to the practice of dividing Spanish milled dollars, also known as “pieces of eight,” into eight wedge-shaped segments.
- Nicknames: “Two bits,” derived from the “pieces of eight” terminology, is a common informal name for a quarter.
- Appearance: The US quarter’s obverse (heads) features the profile of George Washington. The reverse (tails) design has varied throughout its history.
- History of reverse designs:
– Early quarters featured a figure symbolizing Liberty on the obverse and a bald eagle on the reverse.
– In 1932, the George Washington design by John Flanagan replaced Liberty on the obverse to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday.
– From 1932 to 1998, the reverse generally showed an eagle with spread wings.
– Since 1999, the reverse designs have frequently changed as part of various Mint programs like the 50 State Quarters, District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters, America the Beautiful Quarters, and the current American Women Quarters Program.
- Composition: Quarters were originally made of 90% silver until 1965, when increasing silver prices led to a change in composition to a copper-nickel clad version. The current version consists of two layers of cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) clad on a pure copper core.
- Dimensions: A US quarter has a diameter of 0.955 inch (24.26 mm), a thickness of 0.069 inch (1.75 mm), and a weight of 5.670 grams.
- Minting: Quarters are produced at different United States Mint facilities, including Philadelphia (P), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S).
What does it mean when a coin says quarter dollar?
The quarter is the United States’ 25-cent coin. The person on the obverse (heads) of the quarter is George Washington, our first president. He’s been on the quarter since 1932, the 200th anniversary of his birth. The right-facing portrait of Washington dates to 2022.
Are any quarter dollars worth anything?
Quarters from specific years are worth money due to rarity, errors, or silver content. Pre-1965 quarters, particularly from 1932 to 1964, are valuable because they contain 90% silver, with higher prices for pristine conditions.
Do quarter dollars still exist?
The penny, nickel, dime, and quarter are the circulating coins that we use today. To learn more about the history of these coins, read The History of U.S. Circulating Coins.