MINDENMINES, Mo. (KODE) — People often find quarters in their pocket change or nightstand drawer. If you know what to look for, some of that change might be worth a lot more than its face value.
Since most quarters share the same design (with the exception of the 50 State Quarters series), how do you identify those that are most valuable?
To determine the value of a coin, such as the 1932 D Version Washington Quarter, many professional coin collectors say the best resources for coin/currency research are price guides, like Greysheet, — a well-known provider of numismatic information. And there’s the popular online grading service, PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service). But, if you’re lucky enough to come across a 1932 minted, D-version quarter, other collecting professionals suggest you take a different approach to determine the current value of the coin.
“Price guides will give you an idea of the value of collectible coins. But, if you’re looking to accurately determine the exact dollar amount of — let’s say, for example — a ‘1932 D Quarter,’ then I would suggest you talk to a reputable coin collector or a coin dealer, and preferably someone who has many years of experience,” said Dave Sorrick, a coin expert and collector at In God We Trust, LLC.
One thing coin collectors and dealers can agree on: The 1932 D Washington Quarter is quite rare, and therefore worth considerably more than the typical quarter.
“The coin was introduced in 1932 and is still in circulation today. Three versions of that quarter were struck: The 1932 “P,” which was minted in Philadelphia, the ’32 “D,” which came from Denver, and then the ’32 “S,” and that’s the San Francisco strike. So, of those three strikes, the 1932 “D” is the most expensive of that series,” said Sorrick.
A 1932 D Washington Quarter in mint state can be one of the most valuable to collectors. Just 10% (436,000) of all the 1932 George Washington quarters were created at the Denver (D) mint, which is why these coins are very hard to find, especially when they’re in excellent condition.
“A low or very low grade ’32 D quarter might be a $40 or $50 coin. Now, on the upper end, it could be worth well over $1000 after a third party gives it a high grade,” said Sorrick.
The 1932 D version of the Washington Quarter could be worth on average $18,000 if in mint state (uncirculated), while one in poor condition may have a value of approximately $180 or less. MS66 versions of this coin have sold for as much as $80,000 at auction, but sales like these are few and far between.
“We see them frequently because of the popularity of that series. But, when we do get a 1932 D Version Washington Quarter, we don’t typically see that coin in a really nice condition, because a quarter was a lot of money in that era. So, it usually traveled with great velocity and was spent frequently, and easily wears out the coin. So we see a lot of lower grade ’32 D. But, with that said, there are high-quality ’32 D Washington Quarters out there, and you can get quite a bit of money for them. Now, when you get into the upper grades of the uncirculated quarter — now those are worth a lot,” said Sorrick.