1963 Washington Quarter Value Guide

What Is the 1963 Washington Quarter Made Of?

The 1964 Washington quarter is made of 90% silver (Ag) and 10% copper (Cu). Just two years later, the Washington quarter would become cupronickel, removing all its silver content. Before 1965, the Washington quarter was made of silver. As this might be the case, the US Mint still produced special silver Washington quarters since 1976 intended for collectors.

Here are the specifications of the 1963 Washington quarter:

• Value – $0.25
• Mass – 6.30 grams
• Diameter – 24.30 mm
• Thickness – 1.75 mm
• Reeded edge (119 reeds)

The Washington quarter was first struck in 1932. However, the quarter coin has already been in existence since 1796. It would then be continually struck from 1804 to 1807, 1815 to 1828, and 1831 to 1930. Then, in 1932, the quarter became the Washington quarter. It was discontinued in 1933 but continued in 1934 until the present.

The 1932 quarter took on the face of George Washington, the first president of the United States of America. It is worth noting that 1932 was also the bicentennial year of the birth of Washington. So, the timing was perfect, and it was only fitting to have Washington on the quarter as a way to honor him.

photo source: Coin HelpU

The designer of the original version was the sculptor John Flanagan. He was an American sculptor who was known for his plaquettes and statuary. However, he became more known when he designed commemorative medals and coinage.

Regarding design, the 1963 quarter’s obverse features the image of the left profile of George Washington. The inscriptions include the following:

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• 1963
• Mint mark (if present)

On the reverse side, there’s the heraldic eagle along with a bundle of arrows, which symbolizes readiness to defend the country, and olive branches, which symbolize peace and harmony. The inscriptions include the following:

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• E PLURIBUS UNUM (US motto, which means “Out of many, one.”)
• QUARTER DOLLAR

1963 Washington Quarter Varieties

For the 1963 Washington quarter, there are two standard-struck varieties produced. These are the 1963 P with no mint mark and the 1963 D Washington Quarter. Aside from that, there are also those coins with errors that created a new variety.

1963 D Washington Quarter

photo source: PCGS

The 1963 D Washington quarter was struck in the Denver Mint. It is the most abundant variety of the 1963 Washington quarter coins, with more than 135 million of them.

If you’re trying to sell or buy this coin, the price can start at $0.25 and reach up to $10. The price can be higher depending on the coin’s condition and where you will sell it.

1963 P Washington Quarter

photo source: PCGS

The 1963-P quarter coin was made in the Philadelphia Mint. At the end of 1963, there were 74,316,000 P Washington quarter coins produced. You can sell this coin for $0.25 to $10.

List of 1963 Washington Quarter Errors

With more than 209 million of 1963 Washington quarter coins produced, it is not surprising to see that some of these coins had inevitably received an error. The US Mint may think of the error coins as something undesirable, but a lot of coin collectors love to find them. After all, error coins give rise to unique and rare coins that are fun to collect.

There are different reasons that a coin may be made with errors. The error may happen before, during, and even after minting.

One of the errors that could happen due to wear and tear would be a die crack. As you can imagine, there are thousands of coins struck each day. So, it is inevitable that equipment gets worn out and the die weakens, eventually leading to cracks.

Here’s an example of a coin with a die crack error:

photo source: eBay

If you look closely, the left wing of the eagle has this peculiar line. This is actually a piece of evidence that the die cracked, and the crack was also engraved into the coin, leaving the line mark.

Another example of a 1963 quarter error is the doubled die obverse (DDO) and doubled die reverse (DDR). There are times when a planchet isn’t released from its place quickly. As a result, the die struck the planchet twice.

Here’s an example of a DDO error:

photo source: eBay

You can see here that there’s a little shadow or doubling of the letters W and E in the word “WE.” This is actually the tell-tale sign that a coin was struck twice.

In most cases, DDO and DDR are difficult to detect. If you don’t pay close attention, you can easily miss it. Sometimes, appraisers would need to use a microscope or magnifying glass to find these minutest details.

Another example of a 1963 quarter error is the strike-through error. This happens when a foreign material comes between the die and the planchet. So, the die “struck through” the foreign material.

Since the die didn’t completely get in contact with the planchet, there are certain elements on the coin that are not clearly engraved. Sometimes, the foreign material would even be left on the coin.

How Much Is the 1963 Washington Quarter Worth Today?

The 1963 Washington quarter is worth $0.25, which is its face value. The melt value is higher, which is $3.8304. The reason is that the Washington quarter is made of silver, and silver is more expensive now than when the coin was struck in 1963.

Nevertheless, the 1963 quarter can be expensive, especially when it received a high grade from coin appraisers.

To give you an idea, here’s a 1963 Washington Quarter values chart:

As you can see, the 1963 P Washington quarter can be worth a few thousands of dollars. One example is the 1963 D quarter sold for $24,000 with an MS-68 grade. It was sold in an auction held by Stack’s Bowers in August 2022.

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:

1. 1. • (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.

Where To Buy Or Sell 1963 Washington Quarter?

The quickest way to buy or sell 1963 Washington quarter coins would be online. With just a few clicks and pushes of a button, you can find the quarter coins that you like.

Some websites specialize in coin buying and selling. Some examples of these websites include USA Coin Book, Grey Sheet, Golden Eagle Coin, and others. PCGS and NGC, which are coin grading service providers, could also give you a list of places where you can find 1963 quarter coins.

You can also go to online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Facebook Marketplaces. You can create a free account and sell or buy instantly. You don’t even have to leave your house to buy your coins.

Aside from the Internet, you can go to coin shops and antique stores. There are also auction houses where you can sell your coins or buy them. Auctions are known to offer some of the rarest and most expensive 1963-quarter coins.

FAQs

What Quarter errors are worth money?

Different quarter errors are worth a lot of money. One example is the 2000-P) Sacagawea Dollar With 50 State Quarter. It has a mule error, which is the rarest type of coinage error. Mule errors happened when a coin was struck by two dies that were not supposed to be used in the same coin. This quarter is known to be worth $100,000 to $200,000.

What is the 1963 D quarter with strike-through error worth?

The worth of the 1963 D quarter with strike-through error depends on the condition and rarity of the coin. Price may start at $5 to $50.

Do all Washington quarters have the same weight?

Washington quarters don’t have the same weight. This is especially true when you compare silver quarters to base metal quarters. Silver coins are heavier than coins made with copper and nickel.

How do I know if my 1963 D Washington Quarter Doubled Die Or Mechanical DDO?

For the untrained eye, it would be difficult to distinguish the two because both errors come with doubling. However, someone with the right equipment, expertise, and experience can help you. One suggestion is for you to contact professional coin grading service providers.