1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter

Brissyboy · June 16, 2007 2:58PM

Hello,

I quite like the commemorative Quarters, so decided to look though my small collection of coins from change I put away after each trip overseas to see just what USA coins are there and which of those were Quarters.

I came across a Bicentennial Quarter I brought home from my first trip to the USA in 1976 when I was 21.

What can people tell me about this issue? Mints and Mintmarks (if any), Mintages, varieties?

Thanks
Wayne

speety · June 16, 2007 3:00PM

They are very common, everyone saved them thinking they'd be rare some day. I love the design though!

TwoSides2aCoin · June 16, 2007 3:15PM

Wayne,
Hi and thanks for taking the time to write. These Bicentennial Quarters and most issues that come from the mint with a "celebratory" theme are usually minted in such great numbers and hoarded by everyone to such a degree as to kill the value of the coins. Although this particular issue is "artistic" and interesting by design... like the Sacagawea Golden Dollar's first year of issue in 2000, or the new George Washington Dollar of 2007.... So many are made that they do not carry much of a premium as do other coins which are, or should be, less significant.

There were over 1.7 billion of these coins made and several million were melted by the mint in 1982

These were minted (copper core, nickel outer clad) in Denver, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Between these 3 minting facilities 1,676,961,954 of the CLAD variety were created. Add to those, another 15 million minted in SILVER CLAD at the SanFrancisco mint and we ended up with a numismatic tsunami

.

Joe

Brissyboy · June 16, 2007 3:28PM

Thanks Joe.

Of course I'm not interested in them for any monetary value. I realised long ago they would have been a very high mintage especially being a US commemorative circulating coin.

I was just interested in the physical characteristics and facts about the coin. You have answered most of those.

The coin I have has no D, P or S on it and as I was in California, Nevada and Arizona, is it possible this was from the SF Mint or was there one of the Mints that did not mintmark coins? I have a few coins dated 1975 that have no mintmark on them also.

Thanks again
Wayne

Overdate · June 16, 2007 3:46PM

Back in 1975-76, Philadelphia coins did not have a mintmark, so your coins were probably minted there. (Today all Philadelphia circulating coins except the cent have a "P" mintmark.)

San Francisco struck only clad proof, silver uncirculated and silver proof Bicentennial quarters.

cladking · June 16, 2007 4:05PM

The drummer boy design won the competition for the bicentennial designs and hence
the right to appear on the quarter. There were over 800 million of both the Philly and
Denver issues minted for circulation and large numbers were saved by the public. Only
about 20% of these circulated until recent years but they are getting increasingly com-
mon in change. Many millions of the BU coins have been released to circulation. There
are about 7 million clad proofs which appear in both the '75 and '76 proof sets. There
were some 4 million 40% silver uncs made before July of 1976. At that time the mint came
to believe that authorizing legislation mandated many millions more be minted so large
numbers were run off quickly on high speed presses. These coins are quite scarce today
since most were melted in '81/'82. There is also a 40% silver proof.

The most interesting variety is a DDO Denver issue. This coin is quite scarce and usually
sells for over $1000. There are numerous error coins and these bring a premium due to
this being a one year type.

Gems are more common than most clad quarters of that era but are still tough enough to
be interesting. They are much more common in the '76 mint set but those in the '75 set
can be just as nice. Roll coins are often found in nice choice condition and gems are not
especially scarce. The best coins tend to be very highly lustrous and have razor sharp
strikes. Most are PL. Despite there being millions of US type collectors there has been
little interest in the high grade examples to date.

Brissyboy · June 16, 2007 4:57PM

Thanks cladking,

I do like the Little Drummer Boy design. It is possible I have a few more stashed away somewhere from that first trip including the other bicentenary coins. After 31 years most of that hidden away in the bottom of a cupboard and surviving a house fire, I think this little momento of my first trip to your fair western shores will finally get a 2x2 and go into an album with the various State Quarters I have picked up on more recent visits.

Thanks again all.

Wayne

ModernCrapNut · June 16, 2007 7:36PM

I like the designs too. They will never be high value coins, but I have proof examples of the silver coins just to look at them occasionally.

tychojoe · June 16, 2007 7:41PM

<<At that time the mint came to believe that authorizing legislation mandated many millions more be minted so large numbers were run off quickly on high speed presses. These coins are quite scarce today since most were melted in '81/'82. >>

Hi cladking -- Is that specifically referring to the 40% silver unc?

morgansforever · June 16, 2007 9:49PM

Yes there common, but how common in 67+? I'm unable to access the pop reports, Safari is giving me problems.

How many silver quarters were melted in 1980? I'll bet quite a few made it into the smelter.

cladking · June 17, 2007 12:57AM

<< <i><<At that time the mint came to believe that authorizing legislation mandated many millions more be minted so large numbers were run off quickly on high speed presses. These coins are quite scarce today since most were melted in '81/'82. >>

Hi cladking -- Is that specifically referring to the 40% silver unc? >>

Yes. And it includes the 40% halfs and dollars. Around 7 million of each denomination was melted.

ricko · June 17, 2007 7:25AM

What are the details of the bicentennial quarter, D, DDO? Is it proof or Uncirc? Where is the doubling most obvious... Cheers, RickO

cladking · June 17, 2007 8:08AM

<< <i>What are the details of the bicentennial quarter, D, DDO? Is it proof or Uncirc? Where is the doubling most obvious... Cheers, RickO >>

This coin is listed in the Cherry Pickers' Guide, The Best of the Washington Quarter Doubled Dies,
and in Strike it Rich With Pocket Change. It is not mentioned nor priced in the Redbook yet.

The doubling is fairly dramatic on Liberty. It is class V, pivoted hub doubling. It is the unc clad Den-
ver issue.

Like so many important modern varieties very few specimens are known and many which are known
are circulated. Even though large numbers are probably made of most of these, they are overlooked
and allowed to circulate. This particular one probably is low mintage though since the bicentennial
quarters were widely saved in large numbers. I've looked at hundreds of dies and not found an exam-
ple. Either the die failed early or was caught and taken out of service probably.

ricko · June 17, 2007 8:12AM

Thanks Cladking,
I have a whole box of the bicentennials (out here they are all D)... was looking at a few... no doubling on liberty. I did find one with slight doubling on 'in god we trust'.. but that is likely just shelf doubling. Thanks again, Cheers, RickO

mrearlygold · June 17, 2007 8:14AM

Neat design although a common coin. I've heard that Laura at Legend specializes in high grade examples, especially in PCGS holders

cladking · June 17, 2007 9:46AM

There is (or at least was) another bicentennial quarter. In 1975 the Philly
mint struck some clad proof sets for promotional purposes. All these were
believed destroyed but one of the Ikes turned up in a cash register in a
Washington DC gas station.

Counting the PL's this makes "10" different for a complete set. "5" are scarce
or rare enough to at least be interesting. In high grade they all are.

1776-1976 Bicentennial Quarter

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