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The U.S. quarter is a coin that has been in circulation since 1796. It is currently one of the most commonly used coins in the United States. The quarter is made of a copper-nickel blend, but it has been made of other materials in the past, including silver and copper. All 1964 or earlier quarters are 90% silver.

The first quarter was minted in 1796 and featured the “Draped Bust” design, which depicted a portrait of Liberty with her hair flowing and a draped bust on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse. The quarter was originally made of silver and was valued at one-fourth of a dollar. Super rare these are very expensive to obtain especially in Uncirculated condition.

In 1831, the design of the quarter was changed to feature the “Capped Bust” design, which showed Liberty with a cap on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse. This design was used until 1838, when it was replaced by the “Seated Liberty” design, which depicted Liberty seated on a rock with a shield at her side and a branch in her hand.

The “Barber” quarter, designed by Charles E. Barber, was introduced in 1892 and features Liberty with a Phrygian cap on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse. In 1916, the design of the quarter was changed again with the introduction of the “Standing Liberty” design, which featured a standing Liberty holding a shield and an olive branch on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse.

In 1932, the U.S. Mint celebrated the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth by issuing the Washington quarter. The coin features a portrait of George Washington on the obverse, and an eagle on the reverse. The Washington quarter design proved to be very popular, and it remained in use until 1999.

The key dates for Washington quarters:

1. 1932-D: This is the rarest and most valuable Washington quarter, with a mintage of only 436,800. In good condition, it can fetch thousands of dollars.
2. 1932-S: This coin also has a low mintage of only 408,000 and is rare, particularly in higher grades.
3. 1934-S: This date has a mintage of only 1.01 million and is rare, especially in higher grades.

In 1999, the U.S. Mint began issuing a new series of quarters called the “50 State Quarters,” which features a different design for each of the 50 states. This was designed to get people interested in coin collecting again and it worked.  The program ran until 2008, with the release of five new designs each year. The reverse of each coin features a design representing a different aspect of the state’s culture, history, or geography, while the obverse continues to feature a portrait of George Washington.  Lots of collector’s adult and young enjoyed building a complete set of these quarters.