1987 Quarter Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
The 1987 quarter value is typically many times higher than its face value of 25 cents. However, this coin type doesn’t contain precious metals, so the price of collectible pieces depends only on demand in the market and each specimen’s preservation level.
The initial idea was to produce one-year specimens in 1932 to commemorate 200 years of George Washington’s birth. However, these quarters were so collectible and historically significant that they have become regular coins from 1934 to today.
1987 quarter value Chart |
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| Condition | 1987 P quarter | 1987 D quarter | 1987 S quarter |
| MS 65 | $10 | $6.65 | / |
| PR 65 | / | / | $4.52 |
1987 Washington Quarter Value Guides
The total mintage of 1,242,321,905 Washington quarters was high but pretty standard for the 1980s. You can recognize three coin types with the mint marks struck next to the bow tying the President’s hair:
- Standard pieces from the regular strikes with the P or D letter
- Proofs with the S letter
1987 P Washington quarter Value
Most surviving coins of 582,499,481 produced in Philadelphia in 1987 are now considered modern pieces. They rarely reach significant prices on the market, and you can get one for its face value.
As expected, circulated pieces are still not collectible, and you can use them in everyday transactions. Even those in the mint state are cheap and cost approximately $0.35 to $1.
The higher value can reach only quarters in the highest grades. Their price range is from $30 to $385, depending on the level of detail perfection on their surfaces.
1987 Washington quarter value |
||
| Condition | 1987 P quarter | 1987 D quarter |
| Good | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Very good | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Fine | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Very fine | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Extra fine | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| AU | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| MS 60 | $0.35 | $0.35 |
| MS 61 | $0.35 | $0.35 |
| MS 62 | $0.35 | $0.35 |
| MS 63 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| MS 64 | $0.75 | $0.75 |
| MS 65 | $1 | $1 |
| MS 66 | $30 to $36 | $15 to $18 |
| MS 67 | $320 to $384 | $200 to $240 |
One of the quarters from Philadelphia is the most pricey piece in the entire set. This beautiful coin with the P mint mark and an MS 67 grade appeared on eBay in 2018 and reached the price of $690.
1987 D Washington quarter Value
Most of the 655,594,696 quarters from Denver went into circulation immediately after minting. Since they are more or less worn out, their value equals their denomination. You can count on more money for the best-preserved specimens, but their price range is pretty wide.
Most often, you can find coins worth $0.35 to $18, while only rare ones can reach $200 to $240 on the open market. The most costly is the 1987 D MS 67 Washington quarter, with a reached price of $676 at Heritage Auctions in 2015.
1987 S Washington quarter Value
The San Francisco mint produced only proof coins in 1987, precisely 4,227,728 in total. As always, these coins were intended for collectors, so the mintage was significantly lower compared to the regular strike in the other two mints.
1987 proof Washington quarter value |
|
| Condition | 1987 S proof DCAM quarter |
| PR 67 | $4 |
| PR 68 | $5 |
| PR 69 | $7 |
| PR 70 | $20 |
*by Greysheet
Most of these pieces in top-notch condition cost $4 to $20, but some can be more expensive when offered at auctions. For instance, one collector bought the coin with a PR 70 rating for $236 in 2003, making it the most costly proof in the set.
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Washington Quarter Errors
Errors occurred when the quarter production failed to go according to plan. As a result, you can find imperfect 1987 pieces with typical minting problems, including broad strikes, die breaks, off-center strikes, and clashed dies. However, the most common errors among coins struck this year are:
1987 D Double Die Reverse
The DDR quarters have a doubling on the coin surface, typically on letterings. This error is typical for pieces struck in Denver that year.
Die clash
In this case, the dies striking the coin obverse and reverse hit each other when a planchet was missing for some reason. That way, one die transmitted the image from one surface to the other, resulting in a distorted image on the subsequently struck planchets.
Misaligned die
It is a relatively common error that occurs because of rotated, offset, or tilted dies. The result is an off-center error visible on the coin obverse, while the reverse is appropriately centered.
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History of the 1987 Washington Quarter
The horrifying Great Depression destroyed the US economy in the late 20s and early 30s, and Americans desperately needed consolation and stability. Minting a new coin seemed a small and unimportant step at that moment.
However, ignoring the 200th anniversary of such an important figure as the first President of a young country was inadmissible despite the situation.
Therefore, officials decided to commemorate the occasion by minting a new coin. Initially, it should have been a half-dollar, but they changed their minds, and one of the Founding Fathers ended up on the new quarter.
The Commission organized a design competition for the new coin with the Washington bust made by French sculptor Houdon in 1785. One of the 98 designers in this competition was Laura Gardin Fraser.
She designed a few commemorative coins before that moment and was recognized as a talented medalist. Unfortunately, Andrew Mellon disapproved of her work despite Commission’s unanimous decision. The probable then-Treasury Secretary’s reason was the artist’s gender.
1987 Washington quarter |
||
| Location | Year | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 1987 P quarter | 582,499,481 |
| San Francisco | 1987 S proof quarter | 4,227,728 |
| Denver | 1987 D quarter | 655,594,696 |
| Total | / | 1,242,321,905 |
Mellon refused to listen to the Commission’s reasons and persuasion why the chosen design was highly artistic. Despite being the best possible solution among a hundred works submitted to the competition, her work was rejected. The Treasury Secretary chose John Flanagan’s coin design.
He got the honor to create a new coin, but his solution was too conservative, with a frozen image on the obverse. Plus, the complicated coin reverse caused numerous troubles during the minting process.
The result was the quarters with weak design elements and a few Motto solutions during the first few minting years. This design part was initially weakly defined, while it was barely legible in coins issued in 1934.
The first Washington quarters were silver coins, but the first replacement appeared in 1965. Then, the US Mint changed the composition and started producing cupronickel-clad quarters.
The following modification occurred in the 1975 Bicentennial quarters. Their obverse showed the dual date, 1776-1976, and a Drummer Boy occupied the reverse.
The 1987 Washington quarters are still modern coins made of a copper core coated with a thin layer of two metals, copper and nickel. Most of these 35-year-old pieces have yet to be collectible, and their low price will undoubtedly increase over time. Since most of these quarters are in circulation, those in perfect condition will become valuable over time.
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How to identify 1987 Washington Quarter?
Like other quarters minted from 1932 to these days, coins with the 1987 date have the same design. They feature President Washington on the obverse and a bald eagle on the reverse.
Pieces from the early series were made of silver, but the US Mint changed that in 1965. Therefore, modern coins have come without precious metals and are always less valuable than older pieces.
The obverse of the 1987 Washington quarter
The 1987 quarter obverse design features George Washington’s left-facing image. The first President of the US, who spent eight years in that function, from 1789 to 1797, was depicted with long hair tied with a ribbon. One of the three possible mint marks is struck next to it.
Below the neck truncation are the designer’s initials, JF, and the minting year on the coin’s edge. You can also read two inscriptions, IN GOD WE TRUST, placed left of the bust, and LIBERTY, along the top coin edge.
The reverse of the 1987 Washington quarter
The central image on this quarter reverse is a bald eagle, symbolizing American strength and power, as well as freedom for its citizens. Legends UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E*PLURIBUS*UNUM are stretched above the bird’s outspread wings.
The eagle holds arrows while two olive branches frame them from below. While arrows show American readiness to defend their country, olives symbolize peace as the ultimate ideal. Along the reeded bottom edge is struck QUARTER DOLLAR.
1987 Washington quarter |
|
| Face value | 25 cents ($0.25) |
| Shape | Round |
| Compound | 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel |
| Coin diameter | 24.3 mm (0.95669 inches) |
| Coin thickness | 1.75 mm (0.06889 inches) |
| Coin weight | 5.67 g (0.2 ounces) |
| Edge | Reeded |
Other features of the 1987 Washington quarter
The 25-cent coins minted in 1990 have a reeded edge and diameter of 24.26 mm (0.95512 inches). Like other Washington quarters produced after 1965, they contain a copper core and a coat made of two metals. Each piece weighs 5.67 g (0.20000 ounces) and has a thickness of 1.75 mm (0.06890 inches).
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What makes a 1987 Washington quarter rare?
As expected, the 1987 Washington quarters are modern coins abundant on the market. Therefore, you are unlikely to find rare and unique specimens worth much.
Which 1987 Washington quarter is most valuable?
- The 1987 P MS 67 Washington quarter sold on eBay in 2018 reached the price of $690
- 1987 D MS 67 Washington quarter sold at Heritage Auctions in 2015 reached the price of $676
- 1987 S PR 70 Washington quarter sold at Heritage Auctions in 2003 reached the price of $236
How much is 1939 No Mint mark Lincoln penny worth?
Thanks to high mintage and the date that classifies quarters with the P mint mark as modern coins, you can expect that most are cheap on the current market.
While pieces from circulation are worth their face value, perfectly preserved ones typically cost $0.35 to $1. However, you can find excellent specimens that can reach $30 to $385 and a few exceptional ones that can be even more expensive.
What is the most pricey Washington quarter?
You can recognize four Washington quarter types, two silver and two clad, including both proof coins and those from the regular strikes.
The most expensive silver Washington quarters Type 1 are:
- 1932 D MS 66 Washington quarter in 2008 at Bowers & Merena for $143,750
- 1932 S MS 66 Washington quarter sold in 2020 at David Lawrence RC for $45,500
- 1949 D MS 68 Washington quarter sold in 2019 at Legend RC Auctions for $43,475
- 1948 MS 68+ Washington quarter sold in 2021 at Stack’s Bowers for $43,200
- 1932 MS 67 Washington quarter sold in 2012 at Heritage Auctions for $40,250
The most expensive clad Washington quarters Type 2 are:
- 1983 P MS 65 Washington quarter sold in 2014 at Heritage Auctions for $15,862.50
- 1965 MS NONE GEM BU Washington quarter sold in 2005 at Stack’s for $12,650
- 1966 MS 68 Washington quarter sold in 2019 at Legend RC Auctions for $11,750
- 1982 P MS 68 Washington quarter sold in 2019 at Heritage Auctions for $10,200
The most expensive silver Washington proof quarters Type 1 are:
- 1950 PR 68 Washington quarter sold in 2022 at Heritage Auctions for $31,200
- 1937 PR 68 Washington quarter sold in 2005 at Heritage Auctions for $18,400
- 1942 PR 69 Washington quarter sold in 2020 at Heritage Auctions for $16,800
- 1941 PR 68 Washington quarter sold in 2013 at Heritage Auctions for $15,863
- 1953 PR 69 Washington quarter sold in 2021 at Heritage Auctions for $15,600
The most expensive clad Washington proof quarters Type 2 are:
- 1974 S PR 70 Washington quarter sold in 2009 at Heritage Auctions for $10,925
- 1998 S PR 65 Washington quarter sold in 2014 at Heritage Auctions for $9,987.50
- 1971 S PR 69 Washington quarter sold in 2007 at Heritage Auctions for $7,475
- 1990 S PR 70 DC Washington quarter sold in 2017 at Heritage Auctions for $7,050
- 1973S PR 70 DC Washington quarter sold in 2017 at Heritage Auctions for $5,875
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