1939 Washington Quarter

The Washington Quarter is one of those unique pieces that, despite it still being in circulation, coin collectors jump at the opportunity to acquire. One of the main reasons a 1939 Washington Quarter is popular for collectors is due to the presence of silver in the coin’s composition. Silver was eventually removed from all US coinage, so to have a piece with the metal in it is something special.

Despite their age, you are still able to find plenty of Washington Quarters that are in excellent condition. This is the number one goal for most collectors, and is a major part of the reason the price you pay for well-preserved pieces is a lot more than what you will pay for poorly preserved coins.

Grading the 1939 Washington Quarter

For any coin that is part of a collection, the condition the coin is in will be called into question by any and all collectors. Washington Quarters, being a bit larger than average coins, were especially prone to damage and many pieces show ample signs of wear and tear.

To get an official judgment of the condition of a coin, it is recommended that the coin be sent away for grading by a professional company. Knowing that not everyone has the time and money to send coins away for grading, we have provided below a quick and simple outline that talks a bit more about the characteristics of different coin grades.

Uncirculated: To receive an Uncirculated grade, the coin in question will have had to spend no time at all exchanging hands. Instead, these coins were placed into safekeeping immediately after being minted—something that helped preserve the overall texture and appearance of the coin. As you might expect, these Uncirculated Quarters are far and away the most sought after on the market.

Extremely Fine: A coin that is graded as being Extremely Fine is one that spent almost no time at all being exchanged and used to purchase goods. Though you will be able to notice a bit of wear and tear, this wear is only able to be seen via close inspection. At first glance, these pieces will appear to be in almost perfect condition, making them especially valuable to collectors.

Fine: Because of how new (relatively speaking) Washington Quarters are, most have been preserved in grades superior to Fine, but over time this will be a more commonly found grade. A coin that is graded as being Fine will show a good bit of wear, but not so much that the overall beauty and texture of the coin will have been compromised.

Good: Good is a nice way of saying that the coin in question is in pretty rough shape. Good coins will play host to a whole host of damage that can range from heavy scratching to the physical bending of the coin itself. Despite their rough shape, these coins will undoubtedly be valuable to anyone who is looking to put together a complete collection of Washington Quarters.

Pricing the 1939 Washington Quarter

When it comes to determining a price for a 1939 Washington Quarter, there are a few aspects of the coin that you must first consider. For one, because there were multiple editions of the Quarter minted every year, the exact type of Quarter you possess will play heavily into the asking price. Secondly, the condition of the coin means everything to collectors. Knowing this, it goes without saying that those well-preserved pieces are going to sell for more than coins that have been heavily damaged. The chart below aims to give you a better understanding of what you might be asked to pay for a 1939 Washington Quarter given its type and condition.

1939 Washington Quarter

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1939 Washington Quarter	N/A	N/A	$8	$12
1939 Washington Quarter (S)	N/A	N/A	$20	$60
Source: Red Book