Even though many people believe that post-1964 Quarter coins don’t contribute with much value (due to the change in minting composition) this article is here to prove them wrong. Did you know that an example of the error Washington Quarter coin from 1977 was sold for nearly $5,000?
In fact, even some regular 1977 Quarter coins in the mint state can reach a price tag of a few hundred dollars. This ain’t bad at all if you take into consideration their real face value. If you want to learn what enhances your 1977 Quarter value make sure you read this article with utmost care.
Why Is The 1977 Washington Quarter Series Valuable?
You would think that there is nothing so special in a regular clad-quarter coin, however, there is a thing that makes the 1977 series attractive to collectors. Like all Quarter coins, the one from 1977 as well features a portrait of the first United States president George Washington.
The Washington Quarter design was originally created by John Flanagan in 1932. However, it has undergone some changes over the years. This is exactly what makes the 1977 Quarter a special coin.
Washington Quarter from 1977 was the first series since 1974 that carries the original heraldic eagle design. If you want to learn more about the 1974 Washington Quarter coins just follow this link.
The heraldic eagle design was in use until 1999 when the first commemorative quarter program began. Besides this, the 1977 series is rich in transitional errors which significantly enhance the value, but we will talk about them a bit later.
1977 Quarter Value: How Much Is it Worth Today (Ultimate Price Guide)
By now you should all be intrigued by the question – what is the actual value of a 1977 Quarter? To be honest it is a difficult task to answer this question since the value depends on various factors such as conditions, errors, and rarity.
In the table below we will list regular, as well as error varieties, and their current prices on the coin market so you’ll know what you’re dealing with.
Quick price overview
There is a major difference between the prices of uncirculated and circulated coins. For instance, 1977 Washington Quarters in circulated condition are estimated to be worth between $0,30 and $10, while those in mint state are $130.
However, a lot of circulated coins are still in good condition and suitable as collecting examples. Here is the list of the top 3 common coins worth investing in:
1977 no mint mark Quarter value
Coins with no mint mark come from the US Mint located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before 1980, besides a couple of rare occasions when they minted commemorative coins, this mint hasn’t used a mint mark on its regular coin.
The no-mint mark 1977 series of quarters is not as rare or valuable as some other versions due to the mintage volume of 468,556,000 coins. In most cases no matter how good the condition is these coins will be worth from the face value which is 25 cents to $14 for those that are in extremely good condition.
On the other hand, Uncirculated coins on some rare occasions will be worth up to a few hundred. A surprising thing is that one coin in extremely pristine condition was sold at auction for around $1,560. This is the best example of how high demand but low supply can affect the price of a coin in a positive way.
1977-D mint mark Quarter value
A 1977-D Quarter coin was minted in the Denver Mint, and with a mintage volume of 256,524,978 coins, this is the second most common version of this Quarter. These coins like previous ones were produced for circulation so their value is not high.
They will in all cases probably be worth around twenty-five cents, but their value increases a little if the specimen is in pristine Uncirculated condition. In this case, they achieve a price from $6 to $14. However, a coin in almost perfect condition was sold for $430 at auction.
1977-S mint mark Quarter value
What is characteristic of all coins with an S mint mark is that they are minted in San Francisco, California, and these coins were not intended for circulation. These are proof coins mainly minted for collectors and presentations. As usual coins with this mint mark are the rarest and most valuable. The 1977-S quarters come in with a mintage volume of 3,251,152.
All proof coins are specially made to look mirror-like which enhances their price. These coins are only worth in an Uncirculated condition, and when in this state they will fetch from $14 to $20 on average.
Logically, there are always a few exceptions, a 1977-S Quarter in almost perfect condition was sold on auction for $575.
What you need to know is that proof coins come with two contrast varieties – a cameo and deep cameo contrast. The difference between regular strike-proof coins and these are in clarity. You will recognize CAM and DCAM coins for their deeply polished and highly reflective surface.
Keep in mind that proof coins with a CAM contrast have a mirror-like luster and all the details, like letters and bust will appear milky white. These white areas are not reflective. The DCAM quarters are even easier to distinguish. They can look like they are black and white due to the high contrast between the reflective field and design. All the details appear frosty white and creamy.
Most Valuable 1977 Quarter Coins (Table Chart)
The Main Features Of The 1977 Washington Quarter Coins
All Washington Quarters feature an image of the first President George Washington on the obverse side. An inscription “Liberty” is engraved above his head, while on the opposite side, you will find a date of minting and a mint mark. The “In God We Trust” is placed below his chin, on the left side of his bust.
The reverse side of the 1977 quarter coin features a valiant eagle. His wings are outstretched toward the rim of the coin and he is clutching a cluster of arrows while standing above two olive branches. The denomination “Quarter dollar” is engraved under the branches, while the Latin motto “E pluribus unum” and “United States of America” are inscribed above Eagle’s head.
These coins are like all others minted after 1965, made from copper-nickel clad composition. If you are interested in collecting pre-1965 silver coins you can read our comprehensive guide here.
You will easily recognize the silver coin by weight and shine. Also, you should know that all quarters minted after 1968, bear the mint mark on the obverse side. The Washington Quarter coins bear No mint mark when struck in Philadelphia, mint mark D for Denver, and mint mark S for San Francisco.
List Of Errors Found On 1977 Washington Quarters
A good thing about the high mintage volume is that there are larger amounts of error coins. If you are lucky enough to find a rare error you can make some big bucks without moving a finger. Even though this sounds easy, it isn’t since most errors are minor and not easily visible so you need to pay attention to details to find them.
Also, if you are new to coin collecting you can easily get confused and mistake a ruined coin from circulation as a minting error. Luckily, here is the list where we described in detail the most common minting errors found in the 1977 Washington Quarter series so you can learn to recognize them.
- 1977-D Quarter struck on silver-clad planchet – Since some Bicentennial quarters were minted in San Francisco Mint on 40% silver planchets naturally there was room for transitional coin errors. They accidentally struck certain quarters with a date of 1977 on 40% silver blanks. These coins are extremely rare and all originate from Denver Mint. The 1977-D silver quarter errors are estimated to be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
- 1977-D Quarter struck on a five-cent planchet error – Another error that originates from a Denver Mint is a 1977-D quarter struck on a five-cent planchet. These coins were struck on Jefferson’s nickel planchets. Coins with this error are estimated to be worth around $55.
- 1977-D Quarter struck on a one-cent planchet error – It seems like most error coins were made in Denver Mint, which is not surprising considering they always mint the highest volume. In this case, we have the 1977-D Quarter minted on a one-cent planchet made for a Lincoln penny. You will recognize these coins easily due to the wrong size and copper color. These coins are rare and valuable, selling for at least $1,000.
- 1977 Quarter doubled die error – One of the rarest coin errors is doubled dies. These errors are a result of a die that was imprinted with two variations of the same picture. There are coins with a major and minor doubling of the image. Until today only minor double dies were found and they are worth from $25 to $50.
- 1977 Quarter off-center error – One of the most distinguishing features of an off-center mistake is that the smaller or larger piece of design is missing. To be qualified as an off-center error a coin must miss at least 3% of the design. The larger the missing piece the higher the value. A 1977 quarter with an off-center inaccuracy that is missing 10% or 20% of the design can be worth $25+. A quarter with 50% and more off-center inaccuracy can be sold for at least $150.
- 1977 Quarter broadstrike error – An error coin like this will have 24.3 millimeters in diameter and no ridges or lines on the edge. In fact, you’ll most likely mistake it for the regular coin that has been in circulation for too long. However, make sure you take a good look if the edge is smooth, and the coin is a little wider and thinner you are looking at a broadstrike quarter that will bring you at least $20.
Where Can You Trade Valuable 1977 Washington Quarters?
No matter if you are looking to buy or sell your valuable coin or coins, one thing you need to make sure of is that you are cooperating with reliable sources. Even though the Internet is full of ads that sound great at first glance you should avoid trading with people and sources you aren’t worked with before.
To avoid unpleasant situations such as paying too much for a coin, or being scammed and receiving a fake coin, you need to establish a network of reliable dealers to work with. Here is our list of auction houses and coin web pages that are proven and reliable – Heritage Auctions, PCGS, Coins For Sale, Stack’s Bowers, or Littleton Coin Company.
However, when selling coins we recommend you surf the Internet and check the web platforms like eBay, Etsy, and LiveAuctioneers. The point is that these sources will provide you with valuable information like price range, demand, and supply. Information like this is vital when forming a final price for your item.
A word of advice for all of you that decided to buy coins from these platforms is to make sure you research the seller thoroughly. Fake coins are very common, unfortunately, and they can show up listed on platforms like these easily. So before making any purchase look for feedback, comments, or anything that can help you figure out if the previous customers were satisfied with the cooperation with this seller.
FAQ
Is there a coin named spitting eagle quarter?
Yes, this is a rare error coin. You will recognize it easily, when you look at the reverse side you will notice that a die clash produced a raised line near the mouth of the eagle. The name was given since it looks like the eagle is spitting.
This error occurs on several mint years, however, it hasn’t been reported that a 1977 quarter coin features this error, yet.
What is the rarest Washington Quarter?
One of the rarest and most valuable Washington Quarter is the 1932-D quarter. It is hard to find it since it is sought-after by most collectors because of its historical significance and low mintage volume.
Especially valuable are coins with an error, coins available in proof version, or in mint state. You can earn a fortune by selling this quarter coin, the estimated value is from $100 up to $143,750.
All You Need To Know About The 1977 Quarter Is Here
Now as you probably noticed a regular 1977 quarter coin isn’t worth much, especially if they are in a worn-out state. Luckily, there are always some exceptions. In this article, we’ve listed several 1977 quarters that are worth a lot of money compared to their face value to motivate you to look forward.
All you need to do is focus on finding error varieties, as well as 1977 quarters in perfect mint condition. In case you found a 1977 quarter that does not look ordinary in any way, take it to professionals for grading. Keep in mind that there are still some undiscovered errors that can be easily overseen by our amateur eyes.
Hopefully, this article answered some of your questions about the 1977 Washington Quarters. Also, we hope it helped you figure out how to handle your precious coins and where you can look for them.
In case you know some information that we didn’t mention here, please do not hesitate to share your opinions and advice in the comment section below. Good luck and happy hunting!
