The Rare Bicentennial Quarter Valued at $11 Million, Still in Circulation

Most Valuable Bicentennial Quarters, Very Valuable

1. 1976 Clad Bicentennial Quarter Regular Strike

In this list, we’ll focus on the U.S. Bicentennial coins minted in 1976. As we mentioned above, each coin had two dates inscribed on the front: 1776 – 1976. These coins symbolize America’s overthrow of British colonialism and its establishment as a self-governing democracy. The Founding Fathers were key figures in this political revolution. Seven of these are particularly famous.

• Metal: Type 3 Clad
• Mint Mark: None (Philadelphia)
• Grade: MS 67+
• Sale Date: March 27, 2023
• Price: $1,821

And since we gained independence through the American Revolutionary War, it was also a military victory. In fact, many of the Founding Fathers were generals as well as brilliant intellectuals. One of these visionary leaders, George Washington, became the first president of the United States. He was followed by three more presidents.

2. 1976-S Silver Bicentennial Quarter Business Strike Quarter Valued at $11 Million

Although statues and tributes were created in her honor, she did not want her face to appear on U.S. currency. She found it disrespectful to the British monarchs she had just deposed. Instead, Washington and Benjamin Franklin preferred representatives of freedom. So the Goddess of Liberty was depicted on U.S. coins as a symbol of our American autonomy.

• Metal: Type 4 Silver
• Mint Mark: San Francisco
• Grade: MS 69
• Sale Date: June 9, 2019
• Price: $19,200

Initially, this image was a template derived from the ancient Greek and Roman muses. Over time, sculptors used living American women as counterpoints to Lady Liberty, sometimes called Miss Liberty. These included Elsie Stevens on the Mercury dime, Teresa de Francisci on the Peace dollar, and Ann Willing Bingham on the earlier Draped Bust coin.

3. Double Denomination 1976 Bicentennial Quarter Struck on a Dime

Anna Wills Williams was a laid-back model who posed for the Morgan dollar but didn’t want to expose herself in public. Since early coins were based on practicality, they weren’t showy or pretty. But in 1904, then-President Theodore Roosevelt sought a currency that was as valuable as it was beautiful. This resulted in the American president being depicted on U.S. currency.

1. Metal: Type 3 clad
2. Mint mark: None (Philadelphia)
3. Error: Bicentennial quarter stamped on a dime
4. Grade: MS 62
5. Sale date: December 15, 2020
6. Price: $9,200

It debuted in 1909, on the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. This set a precedent, so in 1932, two centuries after George Washington’s birth, he was officially depicted on the 25-cent coin, and he remains in that spot today. But 1976 was a special event, and the ARBC’s plans – which included a commemorative coin and nationwide competition – began in 1966.

4. 1976-S Clad Proof Deep Cameo Bicentennial Quarter

The idea was to celebrate 200 years of American independence with special anniversary coins. The Mint minted coins in the three largest circulating denominations: a quarter (25 cents), a half dollar (50 cents), and a dollar ($1). These coins included both cased coins for circulation and silver coins sold to collectors as the Bicentennial Set. They also produced proof sets of six coins.

• Metal: Type 3 uncased
• Mint mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 70 DCAM
• Date on sale: July 8, 2010
• Price: $920

The silver Bicentennial coins were made of 90% silver and 10% copper, while the cased coins had the normal ratio of circulating coins, i.e. 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. This combination consisted of a pure copper core coated with a mixture of 75% copper and 25% nickel. This way, the coins were as shiny as the original silver coins, but their production cost was much less and the mint’s coffers improved.

5. 1976-S Clad Proof Bicentennial Quarter

To understand this point, you need to consider seignorage. It’s a tax calculated by subtracting the cost of currency from its face value. For example, let’s say a $1 coin costs 90 cents to produce. This price is based on its metal content, labor rates, electricity costs, utility bills, machine repairs, and so on. The coin is then ‘sold’ to banks for $1, which incur a tax of 10 cents.

• Metal: Type 3 Clad Proof
• Mint Mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 69
• Sale Date: November 3, 2010
• Price: $6,038

That 10-cent tax is what we call seignorage, and it’s a huge source of revenue for the U.S. Mint. That’s why they’re constantly looking for cheaper ways to mint coins and dollar bills so they can raise revenue. Today, all coins are created digitally, saving the mint millions of dollars and significantly increasing seignorage. Certificates and collectible coins provide additional income.

6. 1976-S Silver Proof Deep Cameo Bicentennial Quarter

The metals used in coins and their relationship to seignorage are influenced by many different factors. These include the gold rush of the 1850s, coin shortages in the 1960s, and surges in silver and copper prices during various periods of U.S. history. The war years also affected the use of nickel, which was used for military use. In the case of the Bicentennial coins, it was silver coinage.

• Metal: Type 4 Silver Proof
• Mint Mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 70 DCAM
• Sale Date: November 29, 2007
• Price: $2,760

Since the coin shortages of the 1960s, silver has slowly phased out of regular currency and been replaced by a mixture of copper and nickel. Dollars remained silver, but their use in everyday transactions has declined. In 1965, the silver content in quarters was reduced from 90% to 40%. Then in 1971 they began using a pure copper core coated with a 75% copper and 25% nickel mixture.

7. 1976-S Silver Proof Bicentennial Quarter

Later, this alloy was used in circulating U.S. coins, which contained a total of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel. Some Bicentennial coins use a base metal mixture that contains up to 90% silver. This means that in addition to their historical utility, these Bicentennial coins also have a high melting point. The melting point is determined by multiplying the market value of silver by its weight.

• Metal: Type 4 Silver Proof
• Mint Mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 25
• Sale Date: March 26, 2019
• Price: $13,500

All Bicentennial coins were dated 1776-1976, but in fact, they were minted in 1975 and 1976. None of the Bicentennial coins bore the 1975 date. At the time, these coins featured Washington, J.F.K., and Eisenhower on the reverse (i.e., the upper portion of the coin). These reverse designs have been retained. For reference, a device is an image, bust, portrait, or symbolic image on a coin.

8. 1976- D Clade DDO Bicentenary Quarterly Trade Strike

The words on the back are called legends or mottos, and the coin’s background is called its field. The thinnest part of the coin is called the edge. If it has raised stripes or reeds, it is called a reeded coin. If not, it is a smooth or plain coin. Some coins, such as bullion coins, have a combination of smooth and reeded edges, such as the 2016-W American Silver Eagle Special Strike.

• Metal: Type 3 Clad
• Mint Mark: Denver
• Error: Doubled Die Obverse
• Grade: MS 66
• Sale Date: May 7, 2023
• Price: $8,400

This 30th anniversary coin features smooth sections as well as reeded sections to accommodate the 30th anniversary lettering on the edges. But let’s get back to the Bicentennial coins. As we said, some coins were sold in proof sets and vintage sets, each containing six coins – one from each circulating denomination. Other coins were sold as Bicentennial sets of one dollar, 50 cents, and 25 cents.

9. 1976-S Clad Proof Cameo Bicentennial Quarter Produced in 1975

This is important when you’re evaluating the most valuable Bicentennial quarters because Bicentennial sets were more valuable and kept in better condition. They were probably kept in display boxes with protective covers. But proof sets and older sets could be recognized by being exchanged for coins of other denominations, especially clad coins.

• Metal: Type 3 Clad
• Mint Mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 70 CAM
• Sale Date: April 29, 2021
• Price: $150

But we move on. Let’s get back to the previous design of the Bicentennial quarter. It is also sometimes called the Drummer Boy quarter because it features a military drummer. His job was to provide marching rhythm and assist in loading and reloading weapons when needed. He also helped keep up the morale of the infantry.

10. 1976-S Clad Proof Deep Cameo Bicentennial Quarter Produced in 1975

Another prominent element on the reverse (tails side) of the Bicentennial quarter is the victory torch in the upper left corner, enclosed in a circle of 13 stars, representing the first 13 states to join the newly formed union. The design was created by contest winner Jack L. Ahr. His initials, JLA, are inscribed on the lower right corner of the coin, below the drummer’s arm, just before the dollar letter R.

• Metal: Type 3 clad
• Mint mark: San Francisco
• Grade: PR 69 DCAM
• Sale date: July 14, 2021
• Price: $342

The other two contest winners were Seth Huntington, who designed the Bicentennial half-dollar, and Dennis R. Williams, who designed the Bicentennial dollar. He was only 21 years old and had sketched it for a school art project before submitting it to the contest. His successful assignments in the class made him the youngest person to design a circulating U.S. coin.