Washington quarter facts for kids
| United States | |
| Value | 25 cents (0.25 US dollars) |
|---|---|
| Mass | 5.67 g |
| Diameter | 24.3 mm |
| Edge | reeded |
| Orientation | coin (180°) |
| Composition | Current—cupronickel clad to copper. Prior to 1965—6.25 grams, 90% silver, 10% copper. Silver versions for collectors since 1976 also exist |
| Years of minting | 1932, 1934–present |
| Mint marks | D, S, P, W. Mintmark location & history on 1932–2021 coins discussed in #Clad composition. |
| Obverse | |
 |
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| Design | Bust of George Washington. Variants of above obverse shown in #Silver quarter production. |
| Designer | John Flanagan |
| Design date | 1931 |
| Reverse | |
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| Design | Eagle |
| Designer | John Flanagan |
| Design date | 1931 |
| Design | Washington crossing the Delaware River in 1776 |
| Designer | Benjamin Sowards, sculpted by Michael Gaudioso |
| Design date | 2020 |
| Design | Various commemorative designs |
| Designer | Various |
The Washington quarter is a 25-cent coin made by the United States Mint. It was first created in 1932. The first design was made by a sculptor named John Flanagan. This coin replaced the older Standing Liberty quarter.
The United States wanted to celebrate the 200th birthday of its first president, George Washington, in 1932. A special committee wanted to put Washington on a half dollar coin. But Congress decided to put his image on the quarter instead. They wanted his picture on the front (obverse) of the new coin.
The committee liked a design by sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser. Her work was supported by the Commission of Fine Arts. However, the Treasury Secretary, Andrew W. Mellon, chose Flanagan's design instead. The new silver quarters started circulating on August 1, 1932. They were made of silver until 1965. After that, they were made of copper and nickel.
A special design was used in 1975 and 1976 to celebrate the United States Bicentennial. These coins had the dates 1776–1976. There are no quarters dated 1975. Since 1999, the original eagle design on the back (reverse) has not been used. Instead, the back of the quarter has shown designs for the 50 states, other U.S. areas, and National Park Service sites. The image of Washington on the front was changed in 1999 and again in 2010. In 2021, Flanagan's original design returned to the front. The back showed Washington crossing the Delaware River.
Contents
How the Quarter Began
In 1924, Congress created a group to plan for George Washington's 200th birthday in 1932. They wanted to honor him with a special coin. At first, they thought about making a special half dollar. This coin would replace the regular half dollar for just one year.
However, Congress decided to replace the Standing Liberty quarter permanently. This was because the Standing Liberty quarter was hard to make. So, a new Washington quarter would honor the president and be easier to produce. The law said Washington's image on the front of the coin should be based on a famous sculpture by Jean-Antoine Houdon.
Choosing the Design
The Bicentennial Committee and the Fine Arts Commission liked designs by Laura Gardin Fraser. She was a well-known coin designer. Her design showed Washington facing right. Everyone expected her design to be used for the new quarter.
But the Treasury Secretary, Andrew W. Mellon, chose a design by John Flanagan instead. The Fine Arts Commission tried to get Mellon to change his mind. They wanted Fraser's design. But Mellon stuck with his decision. When a new Secretary, Ogden L. Mills, took over, he also kept Flanagan's design. Some people thought Mellon might have preferred a male designer. However, Mellon had approved designs by women before. Fraser's design was later used on a special gold coin in 1999.
John Flanagan's Design
The Washington quarter shows a picture of George Washington facing left. Above his head, it says "Liberty." Below, it shows the date. To the left, it says "In God We Trust." On the back, there is an eagle with its wings spread out. The eagle is perched on a bundle of arrows. Two olive branches frame the arrows.
The Houdon Bust
The image of Washington on the quarter comes from a sculpture. In 1785, a French sculptor named Jean-Antoine Houdon made a bust (a sculpture of the head and shoulders) of Washington. Washington sat for Houdon at his home, Mount Vernon. Houdon even made a mask of Washington's face. This famous sculpture became the basis for many portraits of Washington, including the one on the quarter.
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Flanagan's design is a bit different from Houdon's original bust. For example, the shape of the head is not exactly the same. There is also a roll of hair on the quarter that is not on the bust. Some art experts thought Flanagan's design looked a bit "cold and lifeless." But it started a trend for other U.S. coins to feature portraits of famous Americans.
Quarter Production Over Time
Silver Quarters (1932–1964)
The first Washington quarters were released on August 1, 1932. They were made of 90% silver. People generally liked the new coin. There was some talk about whether the eagle on the back was a bald eagle or another type. An expert confirmed it was a bald eagle.
About 6.2 million quarters were made in 1932. Most were made in Philadelphia. The Denver and San Francisco mints made fewer. The 1932 Denver and San Francisco quarters are rare today. No quarters were made in 1933 because there were already enough from 1932.
The Washington quarter was easy to make. This meant the details on the coin came out very clearly. The U.S. Mint still made small changes to the design over the years. For example, the words "In God We Trust" appeared in different styles in the early years. The back of the coin also had a new design hub in 1934. This new hub had a lower rim, which meant the back of the coin wore down faster.
The San Francisco Mint stopped making quarters after 1955. It did not make any quarters in 1949 or 1955.
Clad Quarters (1965–1998)
In 1964, there was a coin shortage. The price of silver was going up. People started collecting silver coins, including quarters. To fix this, President Lyndon Johnson announced a change. Starting in 1965, dimes and quarters would no longer be made of silver. They would be "clad" coins. This meant they had layers of copper-nickel on the outside and pure copper in the middle.
The new clad quarters were made without a mint mark from 1965 to 1967. This was true no matter which mint made them. In 1968, mint marks were used again. The Philadelphia Mint still did not use a mint mark on its coins until 1980. The San Francisco Mint reopened. But it mostly made quarters for collectors, like proof coins. The Mint also changed the coin's design slightly. This made the coin's surface flatter.
In 1973, Congress decided to make special coins for the 1976 United States Bicentennial. This included the quarter. These coins had the double date 1776–1976. There were no quarters dated 1975. The back of the Bicentennial quarter showed a colonial drummer. After 1976, Flanagan's original eagle design returned to the back of the quarter.
The Mint continued to make small changes to the design. Quarters were made at the West Point Mint from 1977 to 1979. But they did not have a mint mark. The Philadelphia Mint started using its "P" mint mark in 1980. Since 1992, the Mint has sold special silver proof sets. These sets include a quarter made of 90% silver.
Commemorative Quarters (1999–Present)
The 50 State Quarters program started in 1999. This idea came from Congress. They wanted a series of coins to honor each state. Five new state quarters were released each year. The order was based on when each state joined the Union.
To make room for the large state designs on the back, the words "United States of America" and "Quarter Dollar" were moved to the front. The picture of Washington was also made a bit smaller. The Mint sold many special items for collectors. This program helped the government earn a lot of money. It also encouraged many people to start collecting coins.
After the 50 State Quarters, the program was extended. In 2009, quarters were made for the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. These included Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
In 2010, the America the Beautiful Quarters series began. This series features 56 coins. Each coin shows a National Park Service site. Five new designs are released each year until 2021. Flanagan's original head of Washington was restored on the front. It was made to show more detail. The Mint also made large silver coins for collectors. These coins have the same designs as the quarters.
In 2019, the Mint started making quarters at the West Point Mint with a "W" mint mark. These were mixed in with regular coins. In 2020, the "W" quarters also had a special mark V75 on the front.
After the National Parks series ended in 2021, Flanagan's original design returned to the front of the quarter. The back shows Washington crossing the Delaware River. This design was chosen in 2020.
New quarter series are planned for the next decade. From 2022 to 2025, coins will feature important American women. In 2026, there will be special designs for the 250th anniversary of the United States. From 2027 to 2030, coins will feature youth sports. The front of the quarter will still show Washington after 2030.
Images for kids
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The reverse prior to the State Quarter Program
