Circulated state quarters are worth face value, 25 cents each. The 50 State Quarters program ran from 1999 to 2008 and the Mint struck more than 34 billion of them, so even a complete map of all 50 states is worth about its face value in circulated condition, $12.50 for one coin per state or $25 for both mints. The exceptions are a short list of genuine errors, such as the 2004-D Wisconsin extra leaf, the 2005 Minnesota extra tree and the 1999 Delaware spitting horse, along with proof coins, silver proof sets and very high-grade uncirculated coins.
Many families have a cardboard state map or folder that someone filled in from pocket change over a decade. It is a lovely thing to inherit and a common one. Its value is in the memory, and in the chance that one of the error coins below is sitting in a slot without anyone noticing.
The quick sort is straightforward: look at the three error states, check for S mint marks, and look for anything that came in original Mint packaging.
Reading the mint mark
On state quarters the mint mark is on the obverse, just to the right of Washington's ponytail, behind his neck:
- P: Philadelphia
- D: Denver
- S: San Francisco, proof coins only
Unlike earlier quarters, state quarters from Philadelphia carry a P. A state quarter with an S was never released into circulation. If one turns up in change, it came out of a proof set and has usually lost much of its premium from handling.
Errors with real premiums
2004-D Wisconsin extra leaf
The Wisconsin reverse shows a cow, a wheel of cheese and an ear of corn. On some Denver coins an extra leaf appears on the left side of the corn stalk, curving either up toward the husk (the high leaf) or down (the low leaf). The cause is still debated, but the varieties are real and well documented.
- High leaf: roughly $75 to $200 in circulated and uncirculated grades
- Low leaf: roughly $50 to $150
Only Denver coins are known with the extra leaf. A Philadelphia Wisconsin is a normal coin. A clear, angled-light macro of the corn stalk shows the leaf if it is there. Normal coins have two leaves on the left side of the stalk; the error has a third.
2005 Minnesota extra tree
The Minnesota reverse shows a lake scene with pine trees. Several doubled die reverse varieties produced what looks like an extra tree, a faint ghost of a tree beside the others on the right side of the lake, plus doubling in the treetops. The strength varies a lot from coin to coin.
- Strong extra tree varieties: roughly $30 to $100
- Weak or minor doubling: $5 to $20
Compare the tree line with a normal Minnesota quarter. On the error, the doubled treetops look like an additional tree, not a smudge.
1999 Delaware spitting horse
A die crack runs from the horse's mouth across the field, making it look as if the horse is spitting. It is a die crack rather than a doubled die, and it is fairly common. Values are modest: roughly $5 to $20 for a clear example, more in high uncirculated grades.
Other state quarter errors
- 2005-P Kansas "In God We Rust": grease filled the T in TRUST on some dies. Worth roughly $10 to $50 depending on how clean the missing T is.
- 2000-P South Carolina and other doubled dies: minor varieties with small premiums.
- Off-center strikes, broadstrikes and wrong planchets: dramatic errors can bring $50 to several hundred dollars.
- Clipped planchets: a curved piece missing from the edge, usually $5 to $20.
What is not an error: scratches, dents, plated or colored coins sold as "gold state quarters", and machine doubling, which shows as a flat shelf beside letters. Many colored and gold-plated state quarters were sold by private companies as souvenirs. They are worth less than face value to a collector, because the surface has been altered.
Proof sets and silver proof sets
Every year from 1999 to 2008, the Mint sold proof sets with the five state quarters of that year, struck at San Francisco with mirror fields and frosted designs.
- Clad state quarter proof sets: five coins in a plastic holder, typically $5 to $15 per set. The 1999 set runs higher, roughly $15 to $25.
- Silver state quarter proof sets: the same five designs struck in 90 percent silver. Each coin contains 0.1808 troy ounces of silver, so a five-coin set holds about 0.9 ounces. Sets trade at melt plus a modest premium, roughly $40 to $70 at recent silver prices. The 1999 silver set, with a lower mintage, typically brings $80 to $150.
Proofs graded PR70 Deep Cameo can sell for more, but the premium is small for most dates because so many perfect proofs exist.
To tell a silver proof from a clad proof, look at the edge. A clad coin shows a copper stripe; a silver proof edge is solid silver. Sets kept in their original Mint box with the original paperwork sell more easily than loose coins.
Rolls, mint sets and uncirculated coins
The Mint sold uncirculated sets every year, and banks distributed original rolls when each state was released. Typical values:
- Uncirculated mint sets: roughly $10 to $30 per set, depending on the year
- Original bank-wrapped rolls of 40: about $12 to $25 per roll, a few dollars over the $10 face value, with some early 1999 and 2000 rolls a little higher
- Satin finish coins from 2005 to 2008 mint sets: a small premium over regular uncirculated coins
Coins graded MS67 or MS68 can sell for $20 to several hundred dollars for certain states, but those are almost always already in grading holders. A coin pulled from a folder will not reach those grades.
Value table
Approximate ranges for typical examples:
| Coin or set | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Circulated state quarter, any state | 25 cents |
| Complete 50-state map, circulated | $12-25 |
| Uncirculated single coin, common | 50 cents-$2 |
| Original bank roll of 40 | $12-25 |
| 2004-D Wisconsin extra leaf high | $75-200 |
| 2004-D Wisconsin extra leaf low | $50-150 |
| 2005 Minnesota extra tree, strong | $30-100 |
| 1999 Delaware spitting horse | $5-20 |
| 2005-P Kansas "In God We Rust" | $10-50 |
| Clad proof quarter set (5 coins) | $5-25 |
| Silver proof quarter set (5 coins) | $40-150 |
| Colored or gold-plated souvenir | Under face to collectors |
After 2008
The program was followed by the 2009 District of Columbia and US Territories quarters and then the America the Beautiful national park quarters from 2010 to 2021. The same rules apply: circulated coins are face value, with premiums for proofs, silver proofs, top grades, and the West Point W quarters from 2019 and 2020, which were released into circulation in small numbers and sell for several dollars each.
Photos that answer the question
- A straight-on reverse photo of any Wisconsin, Minnesota, Delaware or Kansas quarter, with side lighting
- A close-up of the mint mark beside the ponytail
- A side view of the edge for any proof, to show silver or clad
- The original box and paperwork for any proof set
A strong extra leaf or extra tree is worth confirming with PCGS or NGC before selling, especially in uncirculated condition. If the quarters came with older coins, the bicentennial quarter guide and the inherited coins guide cover what else to check.