What Is A 1978 Washington Quarter Made Of?
The 1978 Washington quarter is a copper-nickel clad coin, which means it has a core of copper but is covered with nickel. The coin is made of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. Prior to 1965, the coin was made of 90% silver and 10% copper.
Aside from that, the 1978 quarter has a diameter of 24.3 mm and a mass of 5.67 grams with a reeded edge. The 1978 Washington quarter has a face value of $0.25.
photo source: Coin HelpU
The design includes the bust of George Washington on the obverse. The designer of the obverse side of the coin is John Flanagan. Inscriptions include the following:
- LIBERTY
- IN GOD WE TRUST
- 1978 (year of minting)
- Mint mark (if present)
- JG (Initials of John Flanagan, the designer of the coin)
The reverse of the coin includes the American eagle with its wings outspread. The bird is perched on a bundle of arrows. Below the arrows are two olive branches.
The inscriptions include the following:
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- E PLURIBUS UNUM
- QUARTER DOLLAR
The Washington quarter was first produced in 1932. The same year marks the 200th birthday of the first president of the United States. To honor George Washington, Congress first chose the half dollar coin, but later switched to the quarter coin.
As mentioned above, the first Washington quarters were made of silver up until 1965 when it was turned into copper-nickel coin. The reverse design of the quarter was briefly changed to commemorate the Bicentennial celebration of the United States’ birth as a nation in 1975 and 1976. Throughout the years, the design of the Washington quarter remained essentially the same.
How To Differentiate Between Clad And Silver 1978 Quarters?
The 1978 series of the quarter coin is made of copper and nickel. To quickly know whether you have a silver 1978 quarter coin or not, you can simply look at the date. If it says 1978, then it is definitely not silver, but rather copper and nickel. If you see dates prior to 1965, then you might have a silver quarter.
Aside from the date, you can do a drop test. Silver 1978 quarters should have a higher pitch when dropped compared to the copper-nickel quarter coins.
1978 Quarter Varieties
The 1978 quarter comes with different varieties. Most of them differ based on their mint marks. Aside from that, with millions of quarters produced, it’s not hard to see that some of these coins were made with errors.
Here are some of the 1978 quarter varieties you should know:
1978 P Quarter (No Mint Mark)
Edge: Reeded
Mint Mark: No mint mark
Place of minting: Philadelphia
Year of minting: 1978
Face Value: $0.25 (twenty-five cents)
Price: $0.25 to $5.50 (or more)
Quantity produced: 521,452,000
Composition: 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel
Mass: 5.67 grams
Diameter: 24.3 mm
photo source: USA Coin Book
The 1978 Washington quarter made in Philadelphia has no mint mark. The usual price of this coin is $0.25 to $5.50. The more pristine the condition of your coin is, the more expensive it can be. The Philadelphia Mint produced more than 521 million Washington quarters.
1978 D Quarter
Edge: Reeded
Mint Mark: D
Place of minting: Denver
Year of minting: 1978
Face Value: $0.25 (twenty-five cents)
Price: $0.25 to $5.50 (or more)
Quantity produced: 287,373,000
Composition: 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel
Mass: 5.67 grams
Diameter: 24.3 mm
photo source: USA Coin Book
The Denver Mint produced more than 287 million Washington quarter coins in 1978. The quarters they produced bear the D mint mark. The usual price of this coin can be around $0.25 to $5.50.
1978 S Quarter (proof/silver)
Edge: Reeded
Mint Mark: D
Place of minting: San Francisco
Year of minting: 1978
Face Value: $0.25 (twenty-five cents)
Price: $0.25 to $3.50 (or more)
Quantity produced: 3,127,000
Composition: 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel
Mass: 5.67 grams
Diameter: 24.3 mm
photo source: USA Coin Book
The 1978 S quarter can be sold for $0.25 to $3.50. There were more than three million Washington quarters produced by the San Francisco Mint.
You might notice the low mintage of S quarter coins. The reason is that these quarter coins are proof. They were intentionally made with more luster and beauty. Each coin is manually wiped and treated to become shinier and more detailed.
Creating proof coins takes more time and thus, there are only a few of the 1978 proof coins from San Francisco.
List of errors
The 1978 quarter coins were not free of errors. With millions of these coins produced, it is inevitable that some errors may occur.
The errors may be caused by three major reasons:
- Planchet errors
- Die errors
- Mint striking errors
An error adds a unique attribute to the 1978 quarter coin. This makes the coin rare and more desirable. As a result, quarter coins with errors can sometimes be more expensive than the ones in good condition.
How Much Is A 1978 Quarter Worth Today?
The 1978 quarter is worth $0.25 to $5.00. It really depends on the condition of your coin. However, usually, if nothing is special about your 1978 quarter coin, it can be as valuable as its face value, which is $0.25. Its melt value isn’t that far as well, which is $0.493.
To give you an idea of the pricing of 1978 quarter coins, here’s a table for you to compare:
| Coin | Condition | Grade | Price |
| Standard 1978 Washington quarter coin | Circulated | Not graded | $0.25-$0.50 |
| 1978 D Washington quarter coin | Uncirculated | BUMS 65 | $6.65 |
| 1978 P Washington quarter coin | Uncirculated | BUMS 65 | $6.65 |
| 1978 S Washington quarter coin | Uncirculated | Proof PR | $4.52 |
How Does The Grading System Work?
The Sheldon Scale is used by numismatists to provide a numerical value to coins. The Sheldon Scale goes from poor (P-1) to perfect mint state (P-1) (MS-70). Coins were originally evaluated using words to reflect their condition (Good, Fair, Excellent, Etc.). Unfortunately, coin collectors and dealers had different ideas about what each of these terms represent.
Professional numismatists joined together in the 1970s and established CoinGrading standards. These numismatists now assign grades at key places on the seventy-point scale, using the most regularly utilized numeric points in conjunction with the original adjective grade. The following are the most common coin grades:
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- (P-1) Poor – Indistinguishable and probably damaged; if used, must have a date and mintmark; otherwise, rather battered.
- (FR-2) Fair – Nearly smooth, but without the damage that a coin graded Poor often possesses. The coin must have enough detail to be identified.
- (G-4) Fair – Inscriptions have merged into the rims in some areas, and important elements have been mostly erased.
- (VG-8) Very Good- A little weathered, but all of the primary design elements are visible, albeit faintly. There is little if any, central detail left.
- (F-12) Good – The item is very worn, yet the wear is even, and the overall design details stand out clearly. Rims are almost completely isolated from the field.
- (VF-20) Very Fine – Moderately weathered, with some finer features still visible. The motto or all letters of LIBERTY are readable. Both sides of the coin have entire rims that are separated from the field.
- (EF-40) Extremely Fine – Gently used; all gadgets are visible, and the most important ones are bold. The finer details are bold and clear, however, light wear may be seen.
- (AU-50) Uncirculated – Slight evidence of wear on the coin’s design’s high points; may have contact marks; eye appeal should be adequate.
- (AU-58) Uncirculated Choice – Slight traces of wear, no severe contact marks, almost full mint shine, and great eye appeal.
- (MS-60) Mint State Basal – Strictly uncirculated; no indication of wear on the coin’s highest points, but an unsightly coin with reduced luster, visible contact marks, hairlines, and other flaws.
- (MS-63) Mint State Acceptable – Uncirculated, but with contact scratches and nicks, little reduced shine, but otherwise appealing appearance. The strike is weak to average.
- (MS-65) Mint State Choice – Uncirculated with great mint shine, very little contact blemishes, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is unusually severe.
- (MS-68) Mint State Premium Quality – Uncirculated with superb luster, no obvious contact marks to the naked eye, and exceptional eye appeal. The strike is quick and appealing.
- (MS-69) Almost Perfect Mint State – Uncirculated with perfect brilliance, a sharp and appealing strike, and extremely good eye appeal. A near-perfect coin with minor imperfections in the planchet, strike, and contact markings (seen only under 8x magnification).
- (MS-70) Mint State Perfect – Under 8x magnification, there are no tiny imperfections discernible; the strike is crisp, and the coin is perfectly centered on a beautiful planchet. Rarely seen on a coin, this coin is bright and whole, with original luster and exceptional eye appeal.
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Where To Buy Or Sell 1978 Quarters?
There are a lot of places where you can buy 1978 quarters. For one, you can start with antique shops, coin shops, and auction shops. These places offer a wide range of 1978 quarters, which include the rare ones.
Aside from that, you can also visit online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon, and Etsy. These websites are popular and there are thousands of sellers and buyers on their platform.
When selling your 1978 quarter, you might ask, “How do you know if your 1978 quarter is worth the money?”
Each coin dealer may assess your coin and give you a price. From there, you should get an idea if your quarter is worth anything.
Of course, coin dealers have their best interests in mind. So, you might want to consult at least 2-3 coin dealers and compare their prices.
Moreover, you can also try to determine your coin’s worth by yourself. For example, if you see some special features or attributes on your coin, then you can be sure that it is worth more than just 25 cents.
Look for possible unique errors. See the overall look of your coin. If it is in a mint state or it is in perfect condition, then it can be sold for a higher price.
FAQs
Where is the mint error on a 1978 quarter?
The mint error on a 1978 quarter is usually found on the mint mark itself. The mint mark is found behind the neck of George Washington.
What is a rare error on a 1978 quarter?
Some 1978 quarter coins come with a rare error which can be caused by doubled die, missing mint mark, off center, and missing clad layer.
Does a 1978 quarter have a mint mark?
Yes, the 1978 quarter has a mint mark. The mint mark includes D for coins struck in the Denver Mint and S for the San Francisco Mint. The Philadelphia Mint didn’t include mint marks on the 1978 quarters they produced.
How much is a 1978 Canadian quarter worth?
The 1978 Canadian quarter is as valuable as its face value, which is 25 cents. If your 1978 Canadian quarter is unique and rare, its value can easily increase up to the hundreds.
