1945 Washington Quarter Value Guide

What Is the 1945 Washington Quarter Made Of?

At that time when the Committee of Coinage, Weights and Measures found that Standing Liberty quarter to be unsatisfactory, they decided to replace it with Washington’s profile in 1932.

Since then, the US quarter dollar value sports the face of the first President of the United States. Let’s read on to learn more about the 1945 Washington quarter value.

Known as the quarter, the 1945 Washington quarter coin has a face value of $0.25. The 1945 Washington quarter was made of 90 percent silver and 10 percent copper with a reeded edge. Its diameter was 24.30 mm, while its weight was 6.25 grams.

Beginning in 1965, all Washington Quarter coins were composed of cupronickel clad to copper. However, there are still existing silver coins for collection in 1974.

In 1932, the bicentennial committee established by Congress decided to commemorate the bicentennial birth anniversary of President George Washington. They planned to displace the Walking Liberty fifty-cent at that time.

However, Congress permanently replaced the Standing Liberty quarter instead. The committee instructed to have the President’s profile depict the quarter coin. Since then, the quarter dollar features Washington on the coin’s obverse.

Photo source: USA Coin Book

There was a competition held before to finally come up with the design for the quarter in 1932.

Initially, the Commission of Fine Arts supported sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser in designing Washington’s commemorative medal and adapting this design for the quarter. Nevertheless, Charles W. Moore and Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon chose the design by John Flanagan.

When Mellon was succeeded by Ogden L. Mills, he didn’t change Mellon’s decision to have Flanagan design the Washington quarter. Hence, John Flanagan’s design was announced to the public in April 1932.

The obverse (face) side of the 1945 quarter depicts the U.S. first President George Washington profile with softly detailed hair tied in the back. His bust is facing the left. You can also find the following inscriptions on this side of the coin:

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1945

On the other hand, the reverse (tail) shows an eagle with its wings outspread. It perches on a bundle of arrows framed below by two olive branches. The reverse also has the following inscriptions:

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• E PLURIBUS UNUM
• QUARTER DOLLAR

Being made of silver and because of its historical significance, the 1945 Washington Quarter remains one of the most popular coins produced by the U.S. Mint.

1945 Washington Quarter Varieties

In 1945, the three minting facilities in the U.S., namely: Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco struck Washington 25 cents. Overall, the three mints produced about 104 million Washington quarter coins that year.

The variety of the coin is determined by where it is minted. For example, the 1946 Washington quarters have three types: 1945-D, 1945-P, and 1946-S. Some coins are struck with errors that make them unique and distinct.

We discuss the specifications and descriptions of each variety below:

1945 D Washington Quarter

Photo Source: PCGS

In the 1940s series, the 1945-D is one of the scarcer Washington quarters in Gem and Super Gem grades. Though there can be some strike and luster issues in this variety, most Gems look exceptional out of the more than 12 million minted in Denver.

1945 P Washington Quarter

Photo Source: PCGS

Talking about the lowest mintages, the 1945 series produced in the Philadelphia mint is the fifth lowest after 1932, 1938, 1949, and 1958.

You can hardly find P-mint coins in Gem MS65 condition nowadays, much more in Superb Gem MS66. Out of the more than 74 million coins, there are still entirely frosty well-struck Gems existing in this variety.

1945 S Washington Quarter

Photo Source: PCGS

The San Francisco mint produced 17 million Washington quarters in 1945. You can still easily find Washington quarters in Gem condition out of that number. Though the strike was a problem in the 1945-S, fully frosty and white luster Gems are still available for collections. Most sharply struck 1945-S Washington quarters are exceptional.  

List Of 1945 Washington Quarter Errors

Over 104 million Washington quarter dollar coins were struck in 1945. Of this massive number, it’s no wonder the mints produce error coins. When a machine deteriorates or malfunctions, coins exhibit errors creating a unique or distinct appearance.

For the 1945 Washington quarters, you would find that some coins have mint mark errors producing an inverted mint mark. This error is commonly found in the 1945-S series. At first glance, the inverted S is unnoticeable. This error occurs because ​​the coins were punched into the working die in an inverted (upside down) position.

Example of inverted S (Image source: WorthPoint)

Doubled die error is also another encountered error in the 1945 Washington quarters. Interestingly, a few 1945-S Washington quarters having doubled die error also produced an inverted S mark!

Example of doubled die error (Image source: NGC)

Understandably, mint-made errors can happen anytime during minting, and the 1945 Washington quarters are no exception. Any coin errors can occur. The most common mint errors encountered are die cracks, clipped planchets, broadstrikes, and many more.

Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that these coins with errors are still attractive for some collectors because of their unique and special appearance.

How Much Is The 1945 Washington Quarter Worth Today?

It is undoubtedly a well-preserved 1945 Washington quarter coin that has a higher price when sold. The cost of the coin is generally based on its overall condition. Where the coin is minted will also come into play when pricing your 1945 Washington quarter collections.

A 1945 Washington quarter in the circulated condition is estimated to be worth $4.85-$7.25. However, quarters in pristine, uncirculated condition can be sold for as much as $7,500, according to the NGC price guide.

When it comes to a coin’s melting value, it will be based on the metal value; for example, since the 1945 Washington quarter is made of 90% silver and 10% copper, the melt value is calculated based on the silver and copper current value. Today, the 1945 Washington quarter melt value is approximately $4.33706.

In the chart below, you can find the different values of the 1945 Washington quarter based on its condition, mint mark, grade and mintage:

As you can see, given the right condition and rarity, a 1945 Washington quarter can be very valuable. To really see how much these coins can be sold for, check out the auction records of each variety as listed by PCGS:

• $20,400 – a 1945-D 25C (Regular Strike) coin with a grade of MS68 sold in March 2021 by Stack’s Bowers
• $16,450 – a 1945 25C (Regular Strike) coin with a grade of MS68 sold in January 2015 by Heritage Auctions
• $7,200 – a 1945-S 25C (Regular Strike) coin with a grade of MS67 sold in March 2020 by Stack’s Bowers

How Does The Grading System Work?

As you can imagine, coins produced a long time ago have been handled extensively and are subject to wear out. If you have some coin collections that are almost 80 years old like the 1945 Washington quarters, you would expect more visible damage to them especially if these are circulated ones. Though most uncirculated pieces may have less or no damage at all. 

To get the real or actual value of your 1945 Washington quarter collection, you must submit that for professional grading. Professional agencies like NGC or PCGS are the go-to companies to have your coins graded.

When it comes to assessing the grade, the Sheldon Scale is used to grade the coin. It is a 70-point scale tool ranging from 1 to 70, 1 being the poorest condition, and 70 describing a coin with flawless perfect condition.

Moreover, the scale follows these categories when grading: PR system (for Proof coins) and MS system (Uncirculated and Circulated coins) and uses these indications: Poor (P – 1) up to Perfect Uncirculated MS-70 (Mint State) condition. In the general grading system, the numismatists use the following descriptions:

Where To Buy Or Sell 1945 Washington Quarter?

The 1945 Washington Quarters are available online. If you wish to buy and sell online, you can check popular online stores like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, etc. Creating an account is the easiest way to go.

Graded quality quarters are also available on specialized coin websites such as JM Bullion, NGC, PCGS, etc.

Also, visiting physical stores like pawn shops, coin stores, and auction houses is a great option. This way, you can speak to the seller or buyer of your 1945 Washington quarter collections in person.

FAQs

How much silver is in a 1945 quarter?

The Washington quarters from 1945 are made of 90 percent silver. The other 10 percent is copper.

Is a 1945 silver quarter worth anything?

A 1945 Washington quarter in the circulated condition is estimated to be worth $4.85-$7.25. However, quarters in pristine, uncirculated condition can be sold for as much as $7,500, according to the NGC price guide.

Where is the mint mark on a 1945 quarter?

For the 1946 Washington twenty-five cents, the mint marks are found on its reverse side. Coins struck in the Denver and San Francisco mints have “D” and “S” marks, respectively.