Imagine finding an ordinary late 20th-Century 25-cent coin in your pocket and finding out that it’s worth $15,000! Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But what if I tell you that your old 1967 Bicentennial Quarter is one such coin?
Minted to celebrate America’s 200th birthday, the 1976 Quarter Dollar can turn out to be a hidden gem, but only if you know what exactly makes it special. To help you, I’ve curated this value guide that explore rare errors, silver-clad varieties, and other precious features that make a Bicentennial Quarter a valuable find!
Brief History of the Bicentennial Quarter 1776-1976
The Bicentennial Quarter was a significant part of a coin program the U.S. Mint initiated to celebrate America’s 200th anniversary of independence. The program was first proposed in 1973, with production beginning in 1975 and continuing through 1976.
The 1976 Bicentennial Quarter’s distinctive reverse design resulted from a national design competition. Jack L. Ahr’s depiction of a Revolutionary War drummer boy alongside a victory torch encircled by 13 stars was selected for the quarter. This design replaced the standard eagle motif that had been used since 1932 on the Jefferson Quarter.
A unique feature of the Bicentennial Quarter is its dual date: 1776-1976. This was done to commemorate the 200 years from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the bicentennial year.
Interestingly, despite bearing the date 1976, these quarters were minted in 1975 and 1976, with no standard quarters produced in 1975. The Bicentennial design was so popular that over 1.6 billion quarters were struck across both years until it was replaced by Flanagan’s original quarter reverse.
1976 Bicentennial Quarter
Key Facts
Coin Composition
75% Copper, 25% Nickel over a pure Copper center;
40% Silver, 60% Copper (proof & Uncirculated)
Minting Location
Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Year of Minting
1976
Weight
5.67 g
Diameter
24.3 mm
Thickness
1.75 mm
Designer
John Flanagan
Face Value
$0.25 (25 cents)
Mint Marks
No Mint Mark – Philadelphia Mint,
D – Denver Mint
S – San Francisco Mint
Total Mintage
1,685,804,975 coins
Identifying a 1976 Bicentennial Quarter (Design & Composition)
Since a 1976 quarter dollar coin features a different design than the preceding coins, you must examine both sides and understand its composition and dimension to identify it.
1976 Bicentennial Quarter Dollar Obverse:
Portrait of George Washington facing left
The inscription “LIBERTY” above Washington’s head
Motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” to the left of Washington’s neck
Dual date “1776-1976” below Washington’s bust
The designer’s initials “JF” (John Flanagan) at the base of Washington’s neck
The mint mark (if present) to the right of Washington’s ponytail
1976 Bicentennial Quarter Dollar Reverse:
Colonial drummer boy facing left
Victory torch encircled by 13 stars
The inscription “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” along the top rim
“E PLURIBUS UNUM” above the drummer boy
Denomination “QUARTER DOLLAR” at the bottom
The designer’s initials “JLA” (Jack L. Ahr) to the right of the drummer boy
Coin Composition, Size & Dimensions:
The Bicentennial Quarter was minted in two distinct compositions.
Copper-nickel Clad: For circulation strikes, the United States Mint used the standard copper-nickel clad composition, consisting of an inner core of pure copper between outer layers of 75% copper and 25% nickel.
Silver-clad Copper: The San Francisco mint produced silver-clad versions for collector editions. These contain an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to an inner core of 79% copper and 21% silver, resulting in % overall silver content of 40%.
Regardless of composition, all Bicentennial Quarters share the same characteristics. They weigh around 5.67 grams (0.2 ounces) with a diameter of 24.3 mm (0.955 inches). The thickness of the coin is around 1.75 mm (0.069 inches) with a defined reeded edge.
Assessing 1976 Bicentennial Quarter Value (4 Key Factors)
On average, a circulated 1976 Bicentennial Quarter is worth its face value of 25 cents. However, in uncirculated conditions or with rare features, it can be worth $1 to over $7,000, depending on factors such as the mint marks, condition, and the presence of errors or varieties.
1. Coin Grading and Condition
The condition of a Bicentennial Quarter significantly impacts its value. Coins are professionally graded on a scale from Poor (P-1) to Perfect Mint State (MS-70) for circulation strikes and from Poor (PO-1) to Perfect Proof (PR-70) for proof coins.
For the 1976 Bicentennial clad quarters, coins in MS65 condition or higher tend to be worth $1,000 to $7,000 or more. PR-65 (Gem Proof) or better is desirable for proof coins. The highest grades (MS-70 or PR-70) are scarce for this issue and can be worth thousands of dollars.
While it’s better to get your 1976 Washington Quarter graded by services like PCGS, NGC, and ANACS, you can also assess the condition manually. Key areas to examine when grading include the high points of Washington’s hair and the drummer boy’s figure, as these areas tend to show wear first.
Note: Full Bands (FB) is a designation given to quarters with fully struck bands on the drummer boy’s drum, which can significantly increase value.