1965-1989 Clad Quarter questions.

SanctionII

As a kid and through college I collected coins from circulation and put them in Whitman holders. I grew up in Denver and thus had freshly minted Denver coins to pull from circulation. I have read many of the recent threads about clad coins and this area of the hobby [Cladking's posts are very educational].

After reading these prior posts, I decided to pull out my Whitman folders containing clad quarters from 1965-1989 and looked closely at them last night.

I was very surprised at how nice some of these coins look. The strike on some of them is very strong; the toning on some of them is very beautiful; and the luster on some of them is very nice. Looking at these quarters has opened my eyes to a segment of the hobby I have ignored. I am going to start paying attention to same (building a raw clad set at a modest cost).

Below is a description of these clad quarters. For those forum members who are interested in Clad coins in general and in clad quarters in particular, I ask questions and seek your comments regarding these coins [rarity (condition and otherwise); toning as described (is it common or uncommon?); grade (the coins range from VF/EF to MS65, how common are these coins in higher circulated grades and how common are they in lower mint state to mid mint state grades?); and value ranges ($0.25 to what?).

The list of quarters is:

1965 - VF/EF, light toning

1965 - VF dusty/smokey rainbow toning

1966 - VF

1966 - EF toning

1967 - VF light toning

1967 - EF light toning

1968 P - VF/EF

1968 P - VF/EF

1968 D - MS light gold toning

1968 D - VF/EF

1969 P - VF light toning

1969 P - VF

1969 D - AU light gold toning

1969 D - VF

1970 P - VF

1970 D - EF light toning

1970 D - EF light toning

1971 P - VF

1971 D - AU light toning

1971 D - MS light toning

1972 P - VF

1972 D - AU

1972 D - MS gold toning

1973 P - AU

1973 P - VF

1973 D - AU

1973 D - AU

1974 P - AU

1974 D - MS light golden toning

1974 D - MS golden toning

1977 P - EF light toning

1977 P - EF

1977 D - AU

1977 D - AU

1978 D - MS

1978 D - MS gold and blue toning

1979 D - AU

1979 D - AU dusty/smokey toning

1979 P - VF light toning

1979 P - MS65, gold and blue toning, great luster and eye appeal (IMHO the best of the lot)

1979 P - AU

1980 P - MS

1989 D - MS65

43 quarters total. Thus they are worth at least $10.75; though I suspect that at least the nicer mint state quarters would bring a premium. I am again curious about the higher grade circulated pieces and whether I have any condition rarities. Thanks for any input you can give me.

Bubblehead

What happened to the bicentennial's??

rlawsha

What? No 1982's or 1983's ??? Now those might be worth a little...

Coinerww

I would assume everything $2 or less.

SanctionII

As for the bicentennial quarters, I did not pull them out of circulation to place them into a Whitman folder. I pulled them out and placed them into rolls [since they obviously were super rare and would be worth mega bucks] to stash away until I sold same to fund my retirement. LOL

As for 1982-83, unfortunately I graduated from college in 1978, graduated from grad school in 1981, got a job, through myself into work and finding dates and deep sixed coin collecting for about 18 years. Thus I missed out on the opportunity to pull 1982 & 1983 quarter's from circulation.

cladking

1965 - VF/EF, light toning
Distressingly common. There are still many millions of these in circulation and this
is the grade that most of the new collections will have. Toning is atypical and well
struck examples are more difficult yet still common.

1965 - VF dusty/smokey rainbow toning
"

1966 - VF
Very common. This is the upper end of the range which can be found in circulation
now, though. If it's well struck it's a keeper.

1966 - EF toning
Very tough coin. There are a couple million unc and SMS coins but many of them are
very unattractive.

1967 - VF light toning
Common. It's still a keeper if well made. Higher grades are available but tough in
circulation.

1967 - EF light toning
Minor keeper.

1968 P - VF/EF
Pretty tough coin. Attractive uncs are tough for this date.

1968 D - MS light gold toning
This is the toughest clad in circulation and is tough in nice attractive F or better.
It's one of the easiest in unc, however, and nice specimens aren't difficult.

1968 D - VF/EF
"

1969 P - VF light toning
These are no longer available in this condition in circulation. Unc rolls are virtually
non-existent and uncs of this date come from a rapidly dwindling supply of mint sets.
Mint sets coins are usually very unattractive.

1969 D - AU light gold toning
Nice examples of this coin aren't too tough in XF and better. Mint set coins are nice.

1970 P - VF
Tough coin in this grade. Most '70 quarters in mint sets were spent long ago when
set was dismantled for the mint set only half dollar. Gems are fairly easy in the set though.

1970 D - EF light toning
This is another good one. Even F's are tough now.

1971 P - VF
Another toughie. Mint set coins are very poor.

1971 D - AU light toning
These can still be found in XF. Mint set coins are very nice.

1971 D - MS light toning
Choice coins are desirable if not scarce.

1972 P - VF
This is about as good as they come and mint set coins tend to be average.

1972 D - AU
Still available with effort. Mint set coins are superb.

1973 P - AU
Very tough. Mint set coins are unattractive in most cases.

1973 D - AU
These are long gone from circulation and is one of the toughest to find nice.

1974 P - AU
Tough in this grade. Well struck coins are tough in any grade.

1974 D - MS light golden toning
VF's can be found. Mint set coins are nicer.

1977 P - EF light toning
A little tough in circ. Well struck coins are tough in any grade.

1977 D - AU
Not easy to find.

1978 D - MS
Underrated in unc.

1979 D - AU
Even XF's are getting tough.

1979 P - VF light toning
Very common.

1979 P - MS65, gold and blue toning, great luster and eye appeal (IMHO the best of the lot)
True gems with nice strikes are scarce. Mint set coins come with booming luster
and lots of marking.

1980 P - MS
XF is about the best in circulation.

1989 D - MS65
Mint set coins are usually heavily marked. Xf's can be found in circulation but are getting
harder to find the last few years.


Most of these dates not only exist with varieties but exist with varieties which are
only found in circulation. This means that if any of these are a variety then it will
be among the finest or the finest known for the date. Unfortunately only the '79
and '80 have a variety with a large enough population to have any reasonable
chance to be represented here. There are very few old clads around in high grade
that didn't come from mint sets and that always makes a collection like this very in-
teresting.

SanctionII

Cladking, Thank you for your insights. I thought that you would my post of interest. I will study the coins a little more closely over the weekend along with your comments. I will also look at my Whitman albums with Clad dimes and halves. After doing so I will post a thread that describes the dimes and halves. Your thoughts on my clad dimes and halves will also be appreciated. Thanks again, SanctionII.