Why these special 'July 4th' quarters could become sought-after by collectors

(NEXSTAR) – There are new coins aplenty coming from the U.S. Mint this year in honor of America’s semiquincentennial, but one piece may be drawing extra attention. 

Recently, the Mint sent specially marked quarters into circulation, giving Americans “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to discover a piece of history in everyday transactions.” 

The quarters are unique in two ways. First, they feature the Declaration of Independence design that was among the five new faces available for quarters produced this year. Second, they sport a “July 4th” privy mark. 

“This is more than a coin; it’s a defining moment in our nation’s story,” Mint Director Paul Hollis said in a press release. “We hope Americans enjoy the search for these iconic quarters as they’re meant to be shared, saved, and remembered as part of this historic anniversary.” 

The Mint released only 250,000 of the quarters randomly into circulation.

It’s not uncommon for the Mint to produce special quarters. Consider, for example, the state quarter series. However, the limited mintage of these July 4 quarters is unusual, according to Zeke Wischer, Heritage Auctions’ Chief Numismatic Cataloger. 

For comparison, the Mint reports that there have been 147.8 million quarters with the Declaration of Independence design minted this year. Across all five of the semiquincentennial designs, roughly 592 million circulating quarters have been minted. 

With only 250,000 of the July 4 quarters available, this is “a significant event for collectors,” Wischer explained to Nexstar. Some of those collectors will view their own collection as incomplete without it, he added. 

“So not only will there be patriotic collectors seeking an example, but the greater quarter-dollar collecting community as well.”

Because these quarters are entering circulation, they could spend an undetermined amount of time sitting in cup holders, rotating through laundry machines, exchanging hands, and rolling through life like any other quarter before someone notices the special privy mark. 

This may lead to “two distinct markets” for the quarters, Wischer explained: “a small premium over face value for the average quality raw example, and higher premiums for certified examples in Superb Gem grades.”

Earlier this month, grading service NGC offered a $2,500 bounty for the first July 4 privy quarter that was submitted for grading. The bounty was quickly claimed by a South Carolina man, and NGC gave the quarter an MS 66 grade, signifying it as a nearly perfect example of the quarter. (The grading scale ranks from 1 to 70, with anything above 60 being considered “mint state”). 

While that payout may have you scouring through the stash of quarters you have, that may not be the price other collectors are ready to pay. 

“There will likely be a premium over face value for examples that appear on the market during the initial excitement around the coins, but as more are found, we may see that premium settle for the average example,” Wischer said, noting that the grades and certification of the July 4 quarters that become available on the market will impact the value. 

Multiple such quarters were listed for more than $300 on eBay as of July 13. Other sellers have listed rolls of the Declaration of Independence Day quarters. 

Ready to go searching for a special quarter? Wischer has some advice. 

“Just enjoy the hunt! Opportunities like this do not come along very often. Modern collectors rarely get the chance to search circulation for a newly released, genuinely scarce variety that also belongs in a complete set.”

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