Valuable State Quarters: The Ultimate List of Errors to Find in Your Change
The 50 State Quarters program (1999-2008) reignited interest in coin collecting for millions of Americans. While nearly all of the 140+ billion state quarters minted are only worth 25 cents, a handful of fascinating mint errors escaped into circulation and are now worth a significant premium. This guide will show you exactly which valuable state quarters to hunt for.
Pro Tip: The best way to find these is by "coin roll hunting"—searching through rolls of quarters obtained from a bank.
Top 5 Most Valuable State Quarter Errors
1. 2004-D Wisconsin "Extra Leaf" Quarter
This is the most famous and sought-after state quarter error. A die flaw at the Denver mint created what appears to be an extra leaf on the ear of corn on the reverse. There are two versions:
- "Extra Low Leaf": The leaf is low on the ear of corn, almost touching the cheese wheel. This is the more common of the two.
- "Extra High Leaf": The leaf is higher up on the ear of corn. This version is scarcer and more valuable.
Value: $50 - $150 per coin.
2. 2005-P Minnesota "Doubled Die" Quarter
This quarter has numerous doubled die varieties. The most prominent ones show a clear extra "spruce tree" to the right of the main state outline tree on the reverse. There are dozens of cataloged varieties, some minor and some very dramatic.
Value: $10 - $100, depending on the strength of the doubling.
3. 2005-P Kansas "In God We Rust" Quarter
A "grease-filled die" error. When grease and debris clog a part of the coin die, it prevents the metal from flowing into that area during the strike. On some 2005-P Kansas quarters, the "T" in "TRUST" was filled, making the motto humorously read "IN GOD WE RUST".
Value: $5 - $20, depending on how completely the "T" is missing.
4. 1999-P Delaware "Spitting Horse" Quarter
One of the earliest state quarter errors. A die crack formed on the reverse die, running from the corner of Caesar Rodney's horse's mouth downward, creating the appearance that the horse is "spitting."
Value: $10 - $30.
5. 2009-D District of Columbia "Doubled Die" Quarter
This is from the 2009 D.C. & U.S. Territories series that followed the state quarters. A strong doubled die reverse shows clear doubling on Duke Ellington's elbow and on the letters "ELL" in his name.
Value: $75 - $1,000+, depending on the grade.
Don't Forget About Silver Proofs!
The U.S. Mint also produced special collector versions of the state quarters struck in 90% silver. These were sold in annual proof sets and have an "S" mint mark. You can identify them by the solid silver gleam on their edge, with no copper-colored stripe.
Value: $5 - $15 each, depending on the price of silver.
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