1953 Washington Quarter

The 1953 Washington Quarter is a must-have for any and all collectors looking to put together a complete collection of Quarters. Though minted many decades ago, these coins are still rolling out of the US Mint today, though they have undergone some small changes. Collectors love these coins, but only if they can find them in excellent condition.

Therein lies the challenge for many because while the coin itself is in no way difficult to find, finding one in excellent condition is not easy at all. On top of that, the selection of well-preserved pieces will only diminish further as time moves on.

Grading the 1953 Washington Quarter

For any coin as old as the 1953 Washington Quarter, the condition of the coin will mean everything to collectors. This is why you see a collector pouring over the surfaces of a given coin before making a purchase, because no one wants to own a poorly-preserved piece. In comparison to many other US coins, the 1953 Washington Quarter is relatively new, but that does not mean they are easy to find in well-preserved shape.

Normally, collectors send their coins away to professional companies in order to have them graded. Unfortunately, that is not always possible so we have provided below an outline that carefully walks you through the different coin grades and their related characteristics.

Uncirculated: An Uncirculated Washington Quarter is one that went immediately from the mint into a safe place. Being that these coins were entirely kept out of harm’s way, they have incurred no damage and actually take on the look of a coin that was just recently minted. Naturally, Uncirculated Quarters are the ones that collectors want to own.

Extremely Fine: An Extremely Fine Quarter is one that spent only a short period of time exchanging hands. During this time the coin was definitely subjected to some damage, but not so much so that it is very noticeable. In fact, most damage on these coins is only able to seen under close inspection.

Fine: For a coin to receive the grade of Fine, it will have had to spend a good bit of time being circulated. These coins will have retained all of their imagery and texture, but they will have had their surfaces worn down to the point where they are almost smooth thanks to all the circulation. Still, collectors do not scoff at these coins and often have no reservations about adding them to a collection.

Good: Good is the grade given to those coins that were circulated for decades upon decades. During their time in circulation, these coins will have had ample opportunity to become quite heavily damaged. From complete surface wear to the actual chipping and bending of the coin, coins that are graded to be Good are in pretty rough shape.

Pricing the 1953 Washington Quarter

If you are looking to determine a price point for a given Washington Quarter, look no further than the condition and the type. Because collectors are more concerned with aesthetics than anything else, they are going to first seek out those coins that have been well-preserved. Secondly, because multiple types of the Washington Quarter were minted every year, this also plays very heavily into the price you are going to be asked to pay. The chart below is aimed at giving you a better idea of what you might be asked to pay for a 1953 Washington Quarter given its condition and type.

1953 Washington Quarter

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1953 Washington Quarter	N/A	N/A	$7.50	$8
1953 Washington Quarter (D)	N/A	N/A	$7	$8
1953 Washington Quarter (S)	N/A	N/A	$7	$8
Source: Red Book