Have you ever heard of rare error quarters? These rare coins can be worth a lot of money. For example, last year the U.S. Sun reported that a rare 2000 George Washington quarter sold for more than $200.
This quarter was part of the Washington State quarters series, which ran from 1999 to 2008. Each state in this series features its own unique design on the reverse.
In this particular case, it was the "old man of the mountain" design with the date 1788 and no mention of New Hampshire at the top, although it is unquestionably that state’s design.
This coin is rarer because it was struck on a Jefferson nickel planchet, making it an error coin. This type of error coin has a much higher value than its face value and explains why it could fetch such a high price when listed on eBay.
Error coins have been misprinted or otherwise damaged during the minting process. Various factors, including double strikes, off-centering or broadstrikes (which happen when the blank planchet isn't held properly during the printing process), can cause them. Some error quarters are even more valuable due to their rarity. For example, some 2005-P Minnesota quarters with a doubled die error can be worth up to $500.
The Wisconsin state quarter has also seen its fair share of errors. In 2006, an investigation revealed that as many as 50,000 coins had an extra cornstalk leaf either pointing down ("Low Leaf") or pointing up ("High Leaf"). These coins can be worth up to $300 each.
If you think you have a rare error quarter in your pocket change or collection, getting it authenticated by a professional coin grader is essential. This will ensure that you get the most accurate appraisal for your coin. You may even want to consider selling it at auction if it’s particularly valuable.
So next time you're looking through your pocket change or collection for something special, keep an eye out for rare error quarters. You never know what kind of treasure you might find!
Tricia Goss
