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GETTING STARTED MITCH SANDERS The Washington Quarter
In spite of changes, or perhaps because of them, . this venerable coin is here to stay.
Commission of Fine Arts strongly A previous design change com- recommended models by Laura memorated the bicentennial of Amer- TATE QUARTERS have Gardin Fraser, but those created by ica’s independence. Jack Ahr’s reverse created diversity in U.S. John Flanagan ultimately were design depicting a colonial drummer coinage for some time now, selected. Fraser’s designs remained boy was combined with Flanagan’s but the original Washington obverse on coins dual-dated 1776- quarter still is plentiful in cir- 1976. Bicentennial coins were struck culation. Its perseverance is a in 1975 and 1976 in large mintages testament to decades of produc- and were widely saved by collectors tion, while its enduring design is a and non-collectors alike. reminder of a time when continu- If you own a Bicentennial quarter, ity, not change, was the norm in you’re well on your way to a type American numismatic imagery. set, since the series comprises only If you’ve been collecting state four varieties. Flanagan’s original quarters and you’re looking to design was struck in 90-percent expand your hobby interests, silver (1932-64) and copper- it’s worth considering the vari- nickel clad (1965-74, 1977-98). ous incarnations of the venera- Bicentennial coins have just ble Washington quarter. two compositions: clad circu- When the Washington lation strikes and 40- quarter was introduced percent silver pieces in 1932, most circulat- made for collectors. ing U.S. coins still car- A date/mintmark ried images of Lib- collection with ap- erty. But just as the proximately 150 centennial of Abra- pieces (excluding ham Lincoln’s birth collector-only is-
prompted a new cent sues) is far more ex- 1932 QUARTER PHOTO: WWW.LCCOINS.COM design in 1909, George tensive. Fortunately, Washington’s bicenten- most specimens are ac- nial was considered an ap- quired easily. Clad coins propriate occasion for a numis- are inexpensive, and silver issues matic tribute to our first President. from the mid 1940s to the 1960s are A design competition mandated that available in nice, uncirculated condi- the coin’s obverse feature a rendering of tion for around $10 or less. Only a a Washington bust by 18th-century A 1932 Washington quarter (top few early dates are scarce, particularly French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon. center) flanked by the series’ various the low-mintage 1932-D and 1932-S. The artist had traveled from Paris to obverse and reverse incarnations. Because of these factors, completing a Virginia to model his subject, and his date/mintmark set of Washington resulting work has been called “un- unused until 1999, when they appeared quarters is a very reasonable goal. questionably the finest portrayal of on a gold $5 coin marking the 200th As always, use caution when pur- Washington in existence.” The sculp- anniversary of Washington’s death. chasing expensive coins. Counterfeit tor’s iconic image had been a staple on Meanwhile, Flanagan’s obverse portrait and altered pieces—most notably imi- commemorative medals and was a logi- and reverse eagle were used on quar- tations of the 1932-D or 1932-S made cal choice for a Washington coin. ters beginning in 1932, with a modified by adding a mintmark to a 1932 Far more controversy surrounded version of his obverse appearing on Philadelphia piece—are found in the the choice of a specific design. The state quarters since 1999. numismatic marketplace. V
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GETTING STARTED continued
These references offer solid advice about grading and the coin market.
Another issue to keep in mind is accurate grading, which can be vital even for common coins. For uncircu- lated pieces in the uppermost reaches of the grading scale, small differences in condition can have big effects on cost. Fortunately, potential pitfalls can be avoided. Several references can help you spot questionable pieces and evaluate condition: The Complete Guide to Washington Quarters by John Feigenbaum offers background information on the series and a de- tailed analysis of its coins; The Offi- cial Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection edited by Scott Travers, with text by John Dann- reuther, provides help regarding eval- uating American coins, including Washington quarters; and Scott Trav- ers’ Coin Collector’s Survival Manual dispenses valuable guidance on the coin market and grading. It can be reassuring to purchase coins that have been authenticated and graded by third-party services. These are sealed in hard-plastic hold- ers known as “slabs.” Remember, in numismatics—as in most pursuits — knowledge helps you get good value for your money. Overall, the Washington quarter series is very accessible, but there are enough challenges to make it excit- ing. As the predecessor to the popular state quarters, and as a classic Ameri- can issue in its own right, there’s a lot to like about it. [email protected]
136 NUMISMATIST • JUNE 2005 www.money.org