The 1968-D Washington Quarter is worth anywhere from $0.25 in worn condition to over $1,200 for rare, high-grade specimens. While most of these coins found in pocket change are only worth their face value, certain mint errors and pristine uncirculated versions can fetch a significant premium from collectors.

Condition / Grade	Estimated Value
Circulated (Average Wear)	$0.25 – $0.50
About Uncirculated (AU58)	$1.00 – $3.00
Mint State (MS60 – MS63)	$5.00 – $15.00
Choice Mint State (MS65+)	$30.00 – $100.00+
Rare Errors & High Grades	$500.00 – $1,500.00+

History and Significance of the 1968-D Washington Quarter

The 1968-D Washington Quarter marks an interesting era in American numismatics. By 1968, the United States Mint had fully transitioned away from 90% silver coinage, a move necessitated by the rising price of silver and the Coinage Act of 1965. If you find a quarter from this year, you are looking at a “clad” coin made of a copper core sandwiched between layers of copper-nickel alloy.

If you are unsure whether your coin is a rare find or just a regular spender, using a top coin identifier app can help you distinguish between common circulation wear and valuable minting characteristics. The Denver Mint (denoted by the “D” mint mark) produced a massive quantity of these coins—over 288 million, to be exact.

Because so many were made, they are incredibly common today. However, because they were intended to be used in daily commerce, finding one in “as-new” condition is surprisingly difficult. Collectors today are often looking for the few specimens that survived the 1960s without being scratched or dinged in cash registers. CoinKnow helps users track these subtle differences in strike quality that the naked eye might miss.

How to Identify the 1968-D Washington Quarter

Identifying the 1968-D quarter is straightforward. On the obverse (front), you will see the familiar profile of George Washington. Above him is the word “LIBERTY,” and below him is the date “1968.” Look closely to the right of Washington’s ponytail; you should see a small “D” mark, which signifies it was minted in Denver.

On the reverse (back), an American bald eagle with outspread wings perches on a bundle of arrows, framed by two olive branches. Unlike modern state quarters, the classic Washington design remained consistent for decades. When assessing the 1968-D Washington Quarter value, the first thing to check is the luster.

A coin that still “pops” with original mint shine is worth much more than a dull, grey coin. Professionals use detailed 1968-D Washington Quarter price charts to determine how much a specific grade adds to the bottom line. If the eagle’s breast feathers are still sharp and visible, you likely have a higher-grade coin.

Feature	Description
Composition	Outer: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel; Core: Pure Copper
Weight	5.67 grams
Diameter	24.3 mm
Mint Mark	D (Denver) located on obverse

Determining Value: Grading the 1968-D Quarter

To understand the actual worth of your coin, you must understand the grading scale. Coins are graded on a 1-70 scale. Most 1968-D quarters found in change today are “Good” to “Very Fine,” meaning they have significant wear. In these conditions, they are worth exactly 25 cents.

When you move into “About Uncirculated” (AU) or “Mint State” (MS), the value starts to climb. An MS65 grade means the coin has high luster and very few marks. Finding an MS67 or higher is the “holy grail” for this specific year. These premium versions are rare because the 1968 dies were often overused, resulting in softer details on the finished coins.

To get an accurate estimate, many newcomers use the CoinKnow app to take a photo of their coin and receive an instant preliminary grade. Professional grading by services like PCGS or NGC is usually only recommended for coins that look absolutely flawless. You can find more comprehensive 1968-D quarter value information regarding high-grade sales online to see if your coin warrants professional authentication.

Valuable Errors to Look For in 1968-D Quarters

While most 1968-D quarters are common, minting errors can turn a mundane coin into a valuable treasure. Error hunting is a favorite pastime for many “pocket change” hunters. One common thing to look for is a “Double Die” strike, though these are rarer in 1968 than in other years.

Another interesting error is the “Repunched Mint Mark.” Since mint marks were hand-punched into the dies back then, sometimes the “D” was struck twice, creating a shadowed appearance. You might also find coins struck on the wrong planchet (the metal disc before it becomes a coin) or coins that were struck off-center.

Off-center strikes occur when the planchet isn’t properly centered in the press. If 10% or more of the design is missing but the date and mint mark are still visible, the value can jump from a few cents to twenty or fifty dollars. Using a tool like CoinKnow allows you to compare your “weird-looking” coin against known error databases to see if you’ve struck gold—metaphorically speaking.

Error Type	Estimated Value
10% Off-Center Strike	$20.00 – $40.00
50% Off-Center (with Date)	$100.00+
Die Crack (Small)	$2.00 – $5.00
Repunched Mint Mark (RPM)	$5.00 – $15.00

Why Condition Is Everything for 1968-D Coin Prices

You might wonder why one 1968-D quarter sells for $0.25 and another for $1,000. It all comes down to “population.” There are billions of quarters out there with scratches and wear. There are only a few hundred known to exist in MS67 condition.

As a coin collector, the visual appeal—often called “eye appeal”—is paramount. A coin with “toning” (natural color changes over time) can sometimes sell for more than a shiny one if the colors are beautiful rainbows of blue or gold. However, most 1968-D quarters have a “greasy” or “dull” appearance due to the copper-nickel mixture used at the time.

If you find a 1968-D quarter that looks like it just came out of the mint, handle it only by the edges. The oils from your fingers can actually damage the surface and lower the grade. Always store your potential gems in PVC-free coin flips or protective holders to preserve secondary market value.

The “Silver” Myth: Is My 1968-D Quarter Silver?

A very common question among beginners is whether a 1968 quarter can be made of silver. The short answer is: almost certainly not. The US Mint stopped making 90% silver quarters for circulation in 1964. There are extremely rare cases where a 1968 quarter was accidentally struck on a leftover silver planchet from 1964, but these are “transitional errors” and are incredibly rare.

How can you tell? Check the edge of the coin. If you see a solid silver-colored stripe with no copper (orange/brown) showing, you should weigh it. A copper-nickel clad quarter weighs 5.67 grams, while a 90% silver quarter weighs 6.25 grams.

If you do happen to find a 1968-D that weighs 6.25 grams and has no copper strip on the side, you have likely found a five-figure rarity. For most of us, however, the edge will clearly show the copper core, confirming it is a standard clad issue.

Material	Edge Appearance	Weight
Standard Clad	Visible copper/orange stripe	5.67g
Rare Silver Error	Solid silver color	6.25g

FAQs about the 1968-D Washington Quarter

Q: Where is the mint mark on a 1968-D quarter?

A: The “D” mint mark is located on the obverse (front) of the coin, just to the right of George Washington’s bust, near the bottom of his wig. If there is no letter there, the coin was minted in Philadelphia.

Q: Is a 1968-D quarter worth more than a 1968 (No Mint Mark) Philadelphia quarter?

A: Generally, no. Both the Philadelphia and Denver mints produced hundreds of millions of quarters in 1968. Their values are nearly identical across all grades, with the exception of extremely high-grade specimens where “population” varies.

Q: What is the highest price ever paid for a 1968-D Washington Quarter?

A: In recent years, a 1968-D Washington Quarter graded MS68 by PCGS sold for over $1,200 at auction. This price is exceptionally high because quarters in MS68 condition for this year are nearly non-existent.

Q: Should I clean my 1968-D quarter to make it look better?

A: Never clean your coins! Cleaning a coin with chemicals or cloth creates tiny scratches that professional graders can detect instantly. A cleaned coin actually loses a significant portion of its collector value, even if it looks “shinier” to the untrained eye.