1982 Washington Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
Most 1982 Washington quarters you find in pocket change are worth face value — 25 cents. That changes when a coin has been carefully preserved in uncirculated condition, since the U.S. Mint did not sell ordinary uncirculated sets in 1982 or 1983.
Selected guide estimates for a regular 1982-P in MS65 reach about $43 according to USA Coin Book. Proof, variety and error coins each carry their own value depending on identity and grade.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1982 Washington Quarter
The quickest way to start is to upload clear photos of both sides of your coin. A front and back image lets us provide a preliminary identification of your quarter's mint, finish and condition.
This is not authentication or exact grading, but it points you in the right direction before you decide on next steps.
1982 Washington Quarter Value
Upload both sides of your 1982 Washington Quarter.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1982 Washington Quarter Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1982-P quarter in MS65 carries a USA Coin Book guide estimate of about $43, reflecting the scarcity of preserved uncirculated examples from a year with no official Mint sets.
- The 1982-D quarter in MS65 has a guide estimate around $30 — still well above face value for the same preservation reason.
- A 1982-P quarter struck on a five-cent nickel blank sold for $234 in MS64 at Heritage Auctions in January 2023, making wrong-planchet errors worth investigating.
- The 1982-S proof strike-through error has been certified but carries no adopted market price; authenticated examples with unusual obverse texture deserve individual evaluation.
- Doubled die obverse, doubled die reverse, off-center, broadstrike, clipped planchet and missing clad layer errors have been reported for 1982 quarters and can add value depending on severity and condition.
Step 1: Identify Your 1982 Washington Quarter Mint Mark and Version
Look for the mintmark on the obverse, near the date at the lower right. A "P" means Philadelphia, "D" means Denver, and "S" indicates a San Francisco proof.
If you cannot see a mintmark clearly, do not automatically assume Philadelphia — wear, grease or damage can obscure the letter.
All three versions are copper-nickel clad, weighing about 5.67 grams and measuring 24.3 mm in diameter. An "S" mintmark does not mean silver for this year.
Check the edge: you should see copper-colored layering sandwiched between the outer nickel-alloy surfaces.
Because the Mint skipped its regular uncirculated coin sets in 1982, finding a well-preserved circulation strike is harder than usual. Most surviving uncirculated examples came from rolls set aside by collectors and dealers at the time.
Proof sets were still produced and sold to collectors through the San Francisco facility.
Step 2: Check Your 1982 Washington Quarter Grade
Start by examining Washington's hair detail just above the ear. On a lightly worn coin, this area loses definition first, followed by the cheek and jawline.
Flip the coin over and compare the eagle's breast feathers — they flatten out in a pattern that roughly mirrors the obverse wear.
Separate a weak strike from actual wear. Some 1982 quarters left the press with soft detail that looks like light circulation but is really just a mushy strike.
Luster is your friend here: a weakly struck coin still shows original mint shine across the high points, while a worn coin does not.
Look for contact marks, which are the little nicks and dings a coin picks up banging around in bags and rolls. These are normal on business strikes and reduce the grade.
Also check for hairlines from cleaning — tiny parallel scratches visible under a light held at an angle. Cleaned coins grade lower.
Use the comparison image to match your coin's overall look against known grade examples.
Step 3: Check 1982 Washington Quarter Value by Mint and Version
1982 Washington Quarter — P
The 1982-P Washington quarter is a copper-nickel clad business strike from the Philadelphia Mint. It carries Washington's portrait on the obverse and the heraldic eagle with arrows and olive branches on the reverse.
Because the U.S. Mint did not produce standard uncirculated coin sets in 1982, well-preserved examples are scarcer than you might expect for such a common date.
A USA Coin Book guide estimate places the 1982-P at roughly $43 in MS65 condition. Circulated pieces are worth face value.
If you have one that looks fresh and lustrous, it is worth a closer look.
| 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 | — | — | — |
1982 Washington Quarter — D
The 1982-D quarter was struck at the Denver Mint and shares the same copper-nickel clad composition and design as its Philadelphia sibling. Again, no official uncirculated sets were sold this year, so a nice example had to survive in a roll or a collector's stash.
Coin Value Lookup is a handy starting point if you want to look up guides for other dates and denominations while you are sorting through your coins.
In MS65 the USA Coin Book guide estimate sits around $30. Worn examples remain at face value.
The Denver issue is somewhat more accessible than the P in high grade, but both reward careful searching.
| 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 | — | — | — |
1982 Washington Quarter — S Proof
The 1982-S proof quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint exclusively for proof sets sold to collectors. It features the same Washington/eagle design on a copper-nickel clad planchet — the S mintmark does not indicate silver for this year.
Proof finish means the coin was struck with polished dies on a specially prepared blank, producing mirror-like fields and sharp detail. Cameo or deep cameo contrast designations describe the degree of frost on the raised design against the mirror fields, but they are not separate metals or alloys.
The USA Coin Book guide estimate for a PR65 example is about $4.96. Higher-grade proofs with strong contrast may trade differently, but no specific figure for those designations is adopted here.
Proof sets from 1982 are readily available, so most examples are well preserved.
| 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 | ||
| PR 62 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 63 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 64 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 65 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 66 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 67 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| PR 68 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 69 | Coin Identifier | |||
| PR 70 | Coin Identifier |
1982 Washington Quarter Error List
1. 1982 Washington Quarter — Proof Obverse Strike-Through
A proof strike-through on the 1982-S quarter shows a granular, wavy texture across the obverse that disrupts the normal mirror-like proof surface. The reverse, by contrast, retains its expected proof finish and contrast.
Something came between the die and the planchet during striking, but the specific substance has not been confirmed.
When examining a suspect coin, compare both faces side by side. The obverse will look distinctly different in reflectivity and texture from the reverse.
This is not the same as general haze, chemical etching or abrasive damage, which tend to affect both sides or show random patterns rather than the consistent wavy disturbance of a strike-through.
A certified example in PR68 appeared at Heritage Auctions in May 2008 but did not sell, so no market price has been established from that event. Value depends on the severity of the obstruction, overall grade and authenticated attribution.
2. 1982 Washington Quarter — Struck on a Nickel Blank
This error occurs when a 1982-P quarter is struck on a blank intended for a five-cent nickel. The result is a quarter design on a noticeably smaller, lighter planchet — about 5.0 grams instead of the normal 5.67 grams.
Peripheral inscriptions and design elements are cut off because the blank was too small to receive the full impression.
To identify one, compare the suspect coin's diameter and edge to a regular clad quarter. The edge will show a uniform nickel-alloy composition rather than the copper sandwich visible on a normal quarter.
The design should still look properly struck, just incomplete at the borders.
Do not confuse this with a coin that has been cut down, hammered or plated after leaving the mint. Genuine wrong-planchet errors show correct die-struck surfaces with the expected year and mintmark.
A Heritage Auctions sale in January 2023 brought $234 for an NGC MS64 example of this exact error.
3. 1982 Washington Quarter — Doubled Die Obverse
A doubled die obverse on the 1982-P quarter shows consistent doubling on obverse lettering or design elements. When examining your coin, compare the inscriptions and profile details against a normal 1982-P under the same lighting.
Genuine doubled dies produce a repeatable separation or notching that appears in the same spot on every affected coin from that die.
Machine doubling is the most common lookalike. It tends to produce a flat, shelf-like distortion on one side of the lettering rather than the rounded, distinct secondary image of a true doubled die.
Reflections and worn-die softness can also mimic doubling under certain angles.
No specific price range has been adopted for this variety. Value depends on the visibility of the doubling, the coin's overall condition and whether it can be authenticated by a third-party grading service.
4. 1982 Washington Quarter — Off-Center Strike
An off-center strike on a 1982 quarter happens when the planchet is not seated properly between the dies, producing a crescent-shaped blank area on one side while the struck design shifts in the opposite direction. The key detail collectors want is a visible date, because that confirms the year and makes attribution possible.
Look at the overall shape. A genuine off-center coin retains its full round edge profile on the unstruck crescent — it was never contacted by the die in that area.
This differs from a clipped planchet, which has a missing piece of the blank itself, or a coin that was flattened or bent after it left the mint.
No specific price range has been adopted. The percentage off-center, date visibility and grade all influence what a particular coin might bring.
5. 1982 Washington Quarter — Doubled Die Reverse
A doubled die reverse on the 1982 quarter affects the eagle, lettering or other design elements on the back of the coin. Hold the reverse under good magnification and compare the legends and contours to a normal example.
True die doubling will show consistent separation or secondary contours in the same location on every coin struck from that die.
Machine doubling is the usual suspect and is far less valuable. It creates flat, shelf-like distortion without the distinct rounded profile of a genuine doubled die.
Random contact damage and light reflections can also create false impressions of doubling.
No numerical price range is adopted for this variety. The degree of doubling, specific die involved and the coin's condition all factor into value.
Authentication by a recognized grading service is the surest way to confirm a doubled die reverse.
6. 1982 Washington Quarter — Broadstrike
A broadstrike error on a 1982 quarter results from the coin being struck without the retaining collar that normally constrains the metal and forms the reeded edge. The design spreads outward, giving the coin a slightly larger diameter and a smooth or irregular rim instead of the usual reeded edge.
To check for this, lay the coin next to a normal quarter. A broadstrike will look wider, and the edge will lack the vertical grooves you expect.
The full design should still be present, just spread. This separates it from an off-center strike, where part of the design is entirely missing, and from post-mint damage like hammering or rolling.
No specific price has been adopted for a 1982 broadstrike quarter. Value depends on how dramatic the spread is and the coin's overall condition.
7. 1982 Washington Quarter — Clipped Planchet
A clipped planchet error on a 1982 quarter means the blank was incompletely punched from the metal strip before striking. The result is a missing portion — usually a curved bite — along the edge.
You may also notice design weakness on the side of the coin opposite the clip, caused by uneven metal flow during striking.
Genuine clips show a smooth, natural edge where the metal was sheared during the blanking process. Compare this to filed notches, deliberate cuts or corrosion damage, which leave rougher or more irregular surfaces.
The edge texture at the clip boundary is a strong diagnostic.
No numerical price range has been adopted. Clip size, shape and the coin's overall grade affect value.
A straight clip or a large curved clip is generally more desirable than a tiny one.
8. 1982 Washington Quarter — Missing Clad Layer
A missing clad layer error on a 1982 quarter occurs when one of the outer copper-nickel layers is absent before striking. The exposed side may appear a different color from the normal silvery surface, and the coin will weigh less than the standard 5.67 grams.
Compare the suspect face, the edge and the weight to a normal clad quarter. On a genuine missing-clad coin, the edge will show an asymmetric layering — one outer layer present, one absent — and the design on the affected side may appear softer because the thinner planchet did not fill the die completely.
Toning, environmental damage, plating and deliberate surface removal can all mimic this error visually. A weight check is a good first filter.
No specific price range is adopted for this variety; value depends on which side is affected, the coin's condition and authenticated attribution.
