Random Thought on the Bicentennial Quarter
messydesk
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This year, the 1976 Bicentennial quarter marks the mid-point of the Washington Quarter design being in circulation. I remember when they came out 44 years ago, just like in 1976 people who were my age now remembered when the Washington quarter first came out 44 years earlier. 44 years before that, nobody really cared much about mint marks yet.
John
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
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I saw my first Bicentennial cupronickel quarter in circulation in July or August of 1975. They were struck over the course of both 1975 and 1976.
Has it been that long? I remember every one saying, "Put that up, don't spend it, it'll be worth a whole lot of money one of these days". I'm still waiting.
May we see the slab?
Wow. Hard to believe it’s been that long. All of the bicentennial designs were quite nice, IMO. They're possibly even better than the "regular" designs.
I think it's the best of the bicentennial designs. I used to have the die 1 doubled die obverse but this is the only one I have now-
I met Jack L. Ahr (the designer of the Bicentennial Quarter Dollar) and two of his sons in the fall of 1976 or 1977. They were trying to parlay his success with the quarter into some kind of medallic art company. I don't think that went too far.
Being born in '76, I used to save all of them I found!
@koynekwest , that quarter is superb! I call dibs when its time to sell!
Bicentennial quarters were once of those oddities that I plucked out of circulation when I was a kid. I have no doubt it had some influence on my progression into more serious collecting.
I recently bought a silver one in MS68 that has incredible, satiny surfaces that I enjoy very much.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
I remember them growing up. I did like the design the best of the three bicentennial coins. My wife’s grandfather kept rolls and rolls of them. When we got the coins last year we ended up depositing most of them and keeping a small amount for posterity. I think of them like the 1982 Washington commemorative. Nice designs but not worth much.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
I think he still lives about 1/2 mile from my post office, unless he's passed away.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
@messydesk His two sons were about the same age as me, which I suppose would make him at least 85 today. I met them at the Illinois State Fair in Springpatch, they had a booth.
Was there a Centennial celebration mintage of 1876? Will there be a Tri-Centennial in 2076? Maybe the mint will make the Bicentennnial designs into gold coins. Morgan's Union coin of 1876 passed the Senate but not the House and was never used.
Thanks! It will probably be my heirs that will sell it.
When it was introduced, I thought that it was the best of the three Bicentennial designs.
Passed away just over 2 years ago.
Jack Lee Ahr, 86, of Barrington, passed away peacefully on Nov. 19, 2017 with his loving family by his side. He was born on June 23, 1931 in Cincinnati, OH to Robert and Pearl (nee Wolfson) Ahr. Jack was an artist and the designer of the Bicentennial Quarter. He was also a proud veteran of the United States Army, having served during the Korean War era.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
@messydesk I hate to hit the "Like" button, but appreciate the update.
I recall that the artwork for the original reverse design had different lettering, much wider and more artistic. The mint pared the lettering down for the minted coin
I was just wondering if our local newspaper mentioned it at all. I couldn't find anything other than the obituary that ran 11/23-24.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Cool design! What I remember most about that coin is the seemingly HIGH Relief it appears to have. More relief than most.
If anyone wondering who this is? For King and Country! GREAT christian band 
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.Actually you are wrong about 44 Years. It's 45 come July 4th, the 1976 quarter was first released in July 1975. The only way to prove it was made in 75 is the Proof or mint set from 1975.
I remember waiting months for the Mint to ship mine to me.😀
Fighting the Fight for 11 Years with the big "C" - Never Ever Give Up!
Member PCGS Open Forum board 2002 - 2006 (closed end of 2006) Current board since 2006 Successful trades with many members, over the past two decades, never a bad deal.
I still find one in change occasionally.
I'd like to own a 1976 S MS69 Wash, only a handful known, 4 total I think.
When you do be sure to check for the Denver Mint doubled die obverse, as shown, courtesy of VarietyVista-
It's one of my favorite designs. I couldn't resist picking this one up:
I like both the quarter and dollar designs, but prefer the dollar.
The bicentennial coins were the most exciting thing to happen in circulating coinage in many years.
I remember being very excited to get my first examples.
I rode my bike to the bank on their first day of release.
Sorry to hear of Mr. Ahr's death.
I was around 13 when one of the coin magazines had a contest to design the three coins.
Even though I posses all the artistic talent of the average mud puddle I just had to enter.
Now I wonder just how hard they laughed when the entry envelope was opened.
I have a box of these somewhere among my stuff.... For years I just tossed any I came across into the box.... I still see them occasionally... but they go into the 'quarter jar' now.... I guess I should check for things like the S and the DD....Next snowstorm...
Cheers, RickO
As a kid these caused great excitement and I used to toss back each one that I encountered in change. However, after a year or two I got rid of my hoard of $80 or so of them. I still like the designs of all three coins and they bring back memories of when numismatics was a bit different.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
They struck 1974 quarters into June of 1975, then switched over to the Bicentennial design. Probably the same with the half and the dollars.
I was a highschooler working in a reasonably famous restaurant on Route 66 that summer. On my last full day before going back to school, a customer came in with several examples. A lot of our customers happened to make us their first stop out of STL, so that could account why it showed up so soon. I remember it very distinctly.
Without Question the Finest reverse to have graced the Washington Quarter. When all the politically correct salutations have been made, and every special interest group gets its “own” quarter......GO BACK to the spirit is 76 design as it Truly embraces the spirit of our Nation.
That would be an excellent idea!