1940 Washington Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
A 1940 Washington quarter is a 90% silver coin that still turns up in old collections and junk-silver bins. Circulated examples start around $16.43 in well-worn condition, while select uncirculated pieces — particularly from the Denver mint — can reach guide estimates near $321 at the MS65 level.
Proof strikes and scarce error varieties push the ceiling higher. All three mint branches (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco) share the same silver alloy.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1940 Washington Quarter
Want a quick read on what you have? Upload clear photos of both the front and back of your 1940 quarter, and our identifier will give you a preliminary take on which mint version you're holding.
Good lighting and a sharp focus on the mintmark area help a lot. This is a starting point for identification, not a certified grade or authentication.
1940 Washington Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1940 Washington Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1940 Washington Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1940-D (Denver) carries the strongest premiums among regular strikes, with guide estimates reaching about $321 at MS65 versus $69 for Philadelphia in the same grade.
- 1940 Proof quarters, struck only at Philadelphia with mirror-like fields, carry a guide estimate near $163 at PR65 — a separate manufacturing category from business strikes.
- A doubled die obverse on the 1940-D has sold for $2,880 in MS66, making it the standout error variety for this date.
- A repunched mintmark (1940-D/D) brought $720 in a documented certification sale, worth checking on any Denver piece.
Step 1: Identify Your 1940 Washington Quarter Mint Mark and Version
Start with the date on the front — it should read 1940. Now flip the coin over and look just below the wreath tie, above the words QUARTER DOLLAR.
A small "D" means Denver, an "S" means San Francisco, and a blank space means Philadelphia. None of these mintmarks indicate an error; that's just how the Mint identified its facilities.
All 1940 Washington quarters are struck in 90% silver and 10% copper. They weigh about 6.25 grams and measure roughly 24.3 mm across.
Check the edge: it should be reeded (ridged) with no copper-colored stripe visible. If you see a copper sandwich line, you're looking at a later clad issue, not a 1940.
Denver carries the highest premiums among ordinary business strikes for this year. Philadelphia coins are the most common.
San Francisco pieces fall in between. Original toning, luster, and surface condition matter far more than simply being old.
Step 2: Check Your 1940 Washington Quarter Grade
Hold the coin under a single light source and tilt it slowly. On the obverse, focus on George Washington's hair just above the ear and along the cheek and jawline.
In lower grades, those areas flatten first and the individual hair strands merge into smooth patches. A coin grading around Good-4 will show an outline of the portrait with very little interior detail remaining.
Now check the reverse eagle. The breast feathers and upper wing edges lose definition early.
A mid-grade piece — say Very Fine — retains most feather separation but shows obvious friction on the high points.
Compare your coin to the reference image nearby. Luster is your friend: an uncirculated coin should have unbroken cartwheel shine across the fields.
Don't mistake a cleaned coin's brightness for original mint luster. Hairlines from polishing, rim nicks, and contact marks all pull the effective grade down even if the design detail looks sharp.
Step 3: Check 1940 Washington Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1940 Washington Quarter
The 1940 Philadelphia quarter has no mintmark — just a smooth space below the reverse wreath. It was struck in 90% silver and 10% copper at a nominal weight of 6.25 grams.
Guide estimates place a well-worn G4 example around $16.43, an MS60 near $30, and an MS65 at roughly $69. These are retail guide figures from USA Coin Book, not guaranteed sale prices.
Philadelphia produced the largest share of 1940 quarters, so this is the version you'll encounter most often. Condition is everything here.
A common-date Philadelphia piece in average circulated shape trades close to its silver melt content, while a sharply struck gem with original luster commands a real premium.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| XF 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU | AU 50 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AU 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 55 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 62 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 67 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 68 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1940 Washington Quarter — Proof
The 1940 Proof quarter was produced exclusively at Philadelphia, also without a mintmark. It shares the same 90% silver composition as the business strikes, but the manufacturing process is completely different: specially prepared dies and polished planchets create mirror-like fields and crisp design edges.
A coin that has been cleaned or polished to look shiny is not a proof. Genuine proofs show deeply reflective surfaces when tilted under light, and the design details are noticeably sharper than even the best uncirculated business strikes.
The guide estimate for a PR65 example sits around $163.
Coin Value Lookup is a handy starting point if you want to compare this proof's value against other years in the Washington quarter series. You can look up guides across different denominations and dates in one place.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR | PR 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| PR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 3 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 4 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 8 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 12 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 20 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 40 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 50 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 55 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 58 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 60 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
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| PR 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
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| PR 69 | — | — | — | |
| PR 70 | — | — | — |
1940 Washington Quarter — D
The 1940-D is the premium branch for this year. Look for a small "D" mintmark on the reverse, directly beneath the wreath.
Same 90% silver alloy, same 6.25-gram target weight — it's the market that separates this one from its siblings.
Guide estimates run about $20 at G4, jump to $171 at MS60, and reach roughly $321 at MS65. That MS65 figure is the highest among regular 1940 business strikes by a wide margin.
Denver coins in original, uncleaned condition with full luster are what experienced collectors hunt for. This is also the mint to scrutinize for the doubled die obverse and repunched mintmark varieties covered in the errors section below.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| XF 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU | AU 50 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AU 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 67 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1940 Washington Quarter — S
San Francisco's 1940 quarter carries a small "S" mintmark below the reverse wreath. It's struck in the standard 90% silver, 10% copper composition at 6.25 grams.
Guide estimates start at about $16.43 for a G4, rise to $35 at MS60, and hit around $77 at MS65.
The 1940-S sits between Philadelphia and Denver in terms of collector demand. It doesn't command the Denver premium, but nice uncirculated examples still bring meaningfully more than melt.
As always, originality of surfaces matters — a lightly toned, lustrous piece will outperform a harshly cleaned one every time.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| XF 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 55 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 67 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 68 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1940 Washington Quarter Error List
1. 1940 Washington Quarter — Doubled Die Obverse
A doubled die obverse exists on the 1940-D Washington quarter. The primary area to inspect is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST — look for a secondary, slightly offset impression of the letters.
Weaker doubling may also appear in the date numerals. This is genuine hub doubling created during die manufacture, meaning the pattern repeats consistently on every coin struck from that die.
Don't confuse this with machine doubling, which looks flat and shelf-like, almost like a shadow cast to one side. Machine doubling is mechanical slop during striking and adds very little value.
Scratches or post-mint damage can also mimic doubling to an untrained eye.
A PCGS-attributed example in MS66 sold for $2,880 at Heritage Auctions in February 2018. That is a single documented result at a high grade, not a blanket price for every doubled die specimen.
Several obverse dies exist for this date, so the doubling pattern must match the specific attributed variety.
2. 1940 Washington Quarter — Repunched D Mintmark
The 1940-D/D repunched mintmark shows overlapping punch impressions on the reverse "D." When the mintmark was hand-punched into the working die, a second strike landed slightly off from the first, leaving remnants of the original position visible around the letter's edges.
To check, examine the D under magnification and compare it with a normal, cleanly punched mintmark. You're looking for traces of a second outline — not just a mushy or filled letter, which can happen from die wear alone.
Post-mint damage such as squeezing, filing, or applied metal can also make a mintmark look abnormal, so be cautious.
A PCGS-certified example sold for $720 in March 2022. That figure represents one attributed specimen at one point in time, not a fixed premium.
Different D/D die pairings may exist, so precise attribution to the correct die variety matters.
3. 1940 Washington Quarter — Lamination / Split Planchet
A lamination error on a 1940 quarter shows as peeling, flaking, or separated metal on the coin's surface. This happens when the planchet has an internal flaw — a void or impurity trapped during the rolling process — that later splits open.
You might see a retained flap still attached or a missing section where metal has broken away entirely.
Photograph the edge of the coin alongside the affected face to document the depth and extent of the separation. This helps distinguish a genuine lamination from surface corrosion, deliberate scraping, or a coin that someone cut into.
No specific price data is available for this variety. Value depends on the size and visibility of the lamination, the coin's overall condition, and whether the error is dramatic enough to attract specialist interest.
Individual assessment is the way to go here.
4. 1940 Washington Quarter — Off-Center Strike
An off-center strike on a 1940 quarter means the planchet wasn't properly seated in the collar when the dies came together, shifting the entire design to one side and leaving an unstruck crescent of blank metal along the opposite edge. The percentage off-center — generally 10% or more to draw collector attention — and whether the full date remains visible both matter significantly.
Don't confuse this with a clipped planchet, which shows a curved bite taken from the blank before striking, or with post-mint flattening from a vise or hammer. A genuine off-center strike displaces the whole design uniformly.
No adopted price data exists for this error on the 1940 quarter. Value varies widely depending on how far off-center the strike landed, the coin's condition, and date visibility.
A barely shifted piece won't turn heads the way a 25%-off example with a clear date will.
5. 1940 Washington Quarter — Die Crack / Die Chip
Die cracks and die chips on a 1940 quarter appear as raised lines or small raised lumps on the coin's surface. They come from fractures in the steel die itself — as a die wears out, cracks propagate through it, and those cracks transfer as raised features onto every coin struck afterward.
An interior die crack typically shows as a thin raised line crossing the field or a design element. A rim-connected break that produces a raised blob of extra metal at the edge is sometimes called a cud.
These are different in severity and collector appeal.
Don't mistake incuse scratches, corrosion spots, or foreign material stuck to the surface for die cracks. Die cracks are always raised above the surrounding field.
No specific pricing is available for this category on the 1940 quarter; value depends on size, location, and overall eye appeal of the affected coin.
