Get ready to be amazed: a quarter, which we carry around with us all the time, can hide a lot of value. This is very clear in the 1970 version of the George Washington quarter. Find out what makes it so unique and why collectors are so eager to get their hands on it.
What does the 1970 quarter look like?
Obverse (more commonly known as the head): The obverse of the 1970 quarter shows a central bust of George Washington , facing left.
This depiction is based on a sculpture by Jean-Antoine Houdon and includes the inscriptions “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” as well as the year of mintage.
Reverse (more commonly known as tails): The reverse features an eagle with outstretched wings, holding arrows in its talons, also facing left, mirroring Washington’s orientation on the obverse.
It features the inscriptions “United States of America”, “Quarter Dollar” and “E Pluribus Unum”.
What is the value of the 1970 quarter dollar coin?
What is so great about this coin? The Denver quarters from 1970 have a secret, it turns out. Some mistakes were made while they were being made, so they are very uncommon.
For instance, some were made on thinner slabs that were meant to hold dimes. Imagine finding one of those! Some of these coins can sell for over $15,000 at auction in mint condition because of these mistakes and the short time they were in circulation.
Even though these coins have these qualities, they might not sell for that much money. Things like the coin’s condition can make it less valuable at auction. These were the exact details of the one that sold:
- PCGS Number: 5886
- Designer: John Flanagan
- Edge: Reeded
- Diameter: 24.30 mm
- Weight: 5.67 grams
- Mintage: 417,341,364
- Mint: Denver
- Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel over a pure copper core
- Auction Record: $15,000 • MS69 • 08-02-2023 • eBay
Some 1970 Denver quarters can sell for surprisingly high amounts of money, but not all of them are the same. The condition of these coins has a big effect on how much they are worth.
The Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) gives 1970-D quarters in different conditions the following average values:
- MS-63; Up to $2
- MS-64: Up to $5
- MS-65: Up to $16
- MS-66: Up to $22
- MS-67: Up to $65
- MS-68: Up to $2,800