1982 Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
In 1932, the US Mint began production of one-year commemorative coins in honor of former President George Washington. Despite the original plan, their production has continued to this day. The new quarter was only the second American coin with the image of a genuine person.
Since the US Mint changed the quarter composition in 1965, coins minted this year were the first made of a nickel and copper. This alloy appeared instead of silver used by that date. However, experts believe that the 1982 quarter value will increase, and collecting these coins can pay off in the future, despite lacking a precious metal.
1982 Washington quarter value Chart |
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Condition | 1982 P quarter | 1982 D quarter | 1982 S quarter |
MS 65 | $34 | $23 | / |
Proof 65 | / | / | $4.52 |
1982 Washington Quarter Value Guides
During the 1980s, Washington quarters had multi-million mintage. In 1982, it was almost one billion, the 984,831,267 pieces more precisely. Most of these coins were in circulation, so numerous signs of wear were noticeable on the surface.
1982 P Washington quarter Value
The Philadelphia mint had the largest Washington quarter mintage in 1982. You can quickly distinguish coins from this mint by the letter P on the obverse. As many as 500,931,000 specimens carried this mint mark.
Due to such a high number of struck quarters, their presence on the coin market is abundant nowadays. That certainly affects their value, making it quite low.
For example, you can buy a specimen from circulation in average condition for only 0.25 cents. Only pieces in the mint state are a bit more expensive and typically cost about $35.
You can expect a significantly higher sum when deciding to sell your 1982 Washington quarter at an auction. For instance, one 1982 P Washington quarter in an MS 68 grade reached $10,200, winning the auction record in 2019.
1982 D Washington quarter Value
The Denver mint produced slightly fewer 1982 Washington quarters than Philadelphia. To be precise, 480,042,788 pieces with the letter D as the mark came from this mint.
As you know, several factors affect the coin price, so it is also the case with the Washington quarters. One of the crucial factors is their availability. The rule of thumb is that the more coins are present on the open market, the lower their value.
Since the number of coins struck in 1982 is high, they are widely available nowadays. So, you can sell a well-preserved piece for only 25 cents, equaling its face value.
On the other hand, you can find specimens in the uncirculated condition for a slightly higher sum of about $23. A much better choice for the officially graded, best-quality quarters is to offer them for sale at an auction. One such piece with an MS 68 rating achieved an auction record of $4,320.
1982 S proof Washington quarter Value
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As in previous years, the mint in San Francisco minted only proof Washington quarters in 1982. Almost four million coins, or 3,857,479 pieces, had the mark S.
1982 S PR Washington quarter value |
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Condition | 1982 S DCAM quarter |
PR 67 | $5 |
PR 68 | $7 |
PR 69 | $10 |
PR 70 | $20 |
It would be logical to assume that the proof quarter value is high due to a lower mintage in San Francisco compared to the other mints’ circulation. However, it is not the case. The 1982 S proof Washington quarter value is not exceptionally high on the current coin market primarily because it is about a modern coin.
You can buy one such piece for $4.50 to $10, but remember that the most valuable are coins with CAM or DCAM. Although prices at auctions are somewhat different and can be really surprising, you shouldn’t count on such a thing when it is about these quartets.
The currently most expensive 1982 Washington quarter is the one with deep cameo contrast minted in San Francisco. This perfect coin reached a modest $235 at an auction.
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1982 Washington Quarter Errors
By modernizing the coinage, the US Mint tries to deal with the appearance of errors on coins, including the 1982 Washington quarters.
However, some imperfections are still present, although their frequency and severity have been reduced over time. Collectors always look for such coins and don’t spare money when coming across rare and beautiful pieces.
Off-center
This error appeared when the planchet was struck at the poorly centered coin, resulting in a shifted design that didn’t cover the entire surface. These pieces come with a visible crescent-shaped space of different sizes. In some cases, you can even find a coin with a weird shape.
These quarters’ value varies and depends on how far the design is from the center. Remember that collectors preferably look for specimens with a visible date and are prepared to pay over $20 per such coin.
Doubled Die
A doubled die is one of the most common minting errors. It occurs when the die hits the same coin two, three, or more times.
For this reason, you can find pieces with doubling letters, numbers, and mint marks. The price of these error quarters ranges from $20 to $100, but sometimes it can be higher when doubling is particularly significant.
Misaligned dies
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Properly aligned dies in the presses are essential for minting to be successful. If they are moved, rotated, or tilted for some reason, the result is error coins. This error type is rare among the 1982 Washington quarters. Therefore, such a specimen can cost over $1,800. The possible imperfections include:
- Offset error – When the hammer die is not centered over the anvil die, the result is an uncentered obverse. It doesn’t affect the reverse that stays regularly centered.
- Tilting error – When the die surfaces are not parallel during forging, the resulting coins are thinner along one edge. Some quarters come with the missing design on the opposite rim.
- Rotation error – When images on the obverse and reverse dies are rotated, one is struck at an angle to the one from the other coin side.
Broad strike error
The problem with such classified error coins is in the die collar, while the die strike is regular. The minted pieces are wider than regularly struck ones because the lack of a collar allows the metal to expand more than it should.
In such cases, you can see a quarter with illegible writing near the rim while the edge is smooth. Their value is approximately $15 to $50.
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History of the 1982 Washington Quarter
With the Washington quarter occurrence, Americans wanted to mark the bicentennial birth of their first President. Preparations for celebrating such an important jubilee began in 1924, but there were no significant activities for the next six to seven years.
Finally, activities surrounding the celebration intensified in 1931, and Congress announced a competition for the commemorative coin conceptual design. Jean-Antoine Houdon’s bust was the given model for the obverse creation.
Another demand was concerned with the coin reverse. It needed to include one of the national symbols, preferably a shield or an eagle.
Sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser with her beautiful design, was among 98 artists who sent their works. She was famous because she had already designed several commemorative coins and medals, but the Treasury Secretary refused to accept the competition results.
Since his duty was to approve the selected engraver, nothing could be done without his signature. Despite numerous objections, he chose John Flanagan’s design, probably because Laura was a female.
1982 Washington quarter |
||
Location | Year | Minted |
Philadelphia | 1982 P quarter | 500,931,000 |
Denver | 1982 D quarter | 480,042,788 |
San Francisco | 1982 S proof quarter | 3,857,479 |
Total | / | 984,831,267 |
Even the new Treasury Secretary’s arrival didn’t change the situation. Ogden Mills supported his predecessor Mellon’s decision, and Flanagan was declared the competition winner.
You can see that his solution had a low artistic level due to its excessive simplicity, but it was perfect for workers in mints. The low relief made minting easier, so just one hit of the die was enough for finishing coins.
On the other hand, the design disadvantage was that the master hub had to be changed periodically due to weak elements. For instance, the motto on most specimens from 1932 and some from 1934 could barely be legible, even on coins that never spent time in circulation.
During the Great Depression, the demand for quarters decreased, resulting in production suspension for a year. The US Mint resumed quarter production as early as 1934 with the existing commemorative design.
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How to identify 1982 Washington Quarter?
The biggest challenge for collectors is to find quarters minted in 1982 in top-notch condition. Most of these coins spent a long time in circulation and showed numerous signs of severe wear. Plus, the US Mint didn’t issue collectible sets that year.
The 1982 Washington quarter obverse
On the coin obverse, you can see the bust of the United States’ first President and one of the Founding Fathers, George Washington. His simple profile with bow-tying hair is facing left.
You can read the word LIBERTY above the President’s head, while the phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is in front of his image. The minting year is on the coin’s lower rim, while the mint mark is struck behind the bow holding hair.
The 1982 Washington quarter reverse
An American bald eagle, the United States national bird, is on the coin reverse. You can see it facing left with spread wings and claws, holding an arrow bundle. Besides this symbol of war, there are two crossed olive branches placed beneath, representing peace.
The coin denomination QUARTER is just below the eagle’s talons, while you can read the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on the coin’s upper rim. The Latin saying E PLURIBUS UNUM is placed just above the bird’s head, between its wings.
1982 Washington quarter |
|
Face value | 25 cents ($0.25) |
Compound | Nickel and copper alloy with a clad core |
Coin diameter | 0.9567 inches (24.3 mm) |
Coin weight | 0.2 ounces (5.67 g) |
Coin thickness | 0.0689 inches (1.75 mm) |
Edge | Reeded |
Shape | Round |
The 1982 Washington quarter other features
The Washington quarter is composed of an alloy of copper and nickel in a 75:25 ratio. This coin is round in shape with a reeded rim, while its 0.2 ounces (5.67 g) weight is typical for this kind of coin.
With a standard thickness of 0.0689 inches (1.75 mm) and a diameter of 0.9567 inches (24.3 mm), it is no different from the other American quarters.
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FAQ about the 1982 Washington Quarter
Which 1982 Washington quarters are among the rarest?
Due to the high mintage of the 1982 Washington quarters, these coins can’t be considered rare. However, the US Mint didn’t issue traditional Uncirculated Mint sets in 1982.
Therefore, finding specimens graded over MS 68 is almost impossible. Even pieces with an MS 67 rating are scarce, and PCGS confirmed the existence of only 14.
Which 1982 Washington quarters are the most expensive?
- One collector purchased the 1982 P MS 68 quarter for $10,200 in 2019 (Heritage Auctions)
- One collector purchased the 1982 D MS 68 quarter for $4,320 in 2020 (Stark’s Bowers)
- One collector purchased the 1982 S PR 67 DCAM quarter for $235 in 2004 (Heritage Auctions)
How much money can you get for the 1982 P Washington quarter?
Due to the high circulation of the 1963 P Washington quarters, their value on the coin market is relatively low.
Depending on the condition, you can find these pieces for an affordable price of 0.25 cents to $34. On the other hand, the most expensive known specimen reached a price of $10,200.
What is the rarest and the most pricey Washington quarter?
The Washington quarter production began in the early 1930s, and finding coins from that period in the mint state can be challenging. As expected, there are quite a few rare and extremely valuable pieces among them.
The rarest and most expensive are the Washington quarters minted in Denver in 1932. One of these specimens reached $143,750, winning the auction record.
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