One such coin is the George Washington Bicentennial Quarter, a currency that might be worth millions for possessing certain defects. This coin was first made by the United States Mint in 1975 in honor of the bicentennial of America’s revolution. Getting this specific coin even more interesting is the fact that it was produced both in 1975 and 1976 and has the special double date of 1776-1976 on it. Not one of these bicentennial coins has a date, which is either 1975 or 1976 in any of the quarters. The obverse of this coin is somewhat unique as well because it featured the reverse, which supplanted Washington’s eagle reverse during the Bicentennial years.
Contents
Unique Features of the Bicentennial Quarter
Coming to the analysis of the reverse, the George Washington Bicentennial Quarter can be considered to be unique not only for its historical reference but for the overall appearance as well. On the head side of the coin, there is a bust of President George Washington, the word “liberty,” the Latin inscription “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the two dates “1776-1976.” The tail side of the coin depicts a colonial drummer facing left with the victory torch in his right hand, from which thirteen stars radiate, in the upper right-hand corner. For the reverse side, we find inscriptions that say “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” the national motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and the face value “QUARTER DOLLAR.” The design features of this coin are enough to make the coin a collector’s item on its own, but there’s more to this particular variant to make it even more exceptional.
The Error That Makes It Worth Millions
As with most 25-cent coins, there may be nothing particularly special about this particular coin, except for its unusual minting flaw. As the coins were being produced, the die that was used to give the shape of the particular design on the coin was off center, and therefore the obverse was double struck, a factor that is considered a clue amongst coin collectors. The experts mentioned that apart from making the coin unique, it also associates the coin with the historical aspect of the bicentennial celebration, which adds to the value of the coin. For all the Bicentennial coins produced, very few have this double-struck error, and its chances of finding one are very slim. This rarity, together with the fact that it has a historical background, makes it valued at 5 million dollars.
Why Collectors Are Eager to Acquire This Coin
History, architecture and a mistake of minting make this George Washington Bicentennial Quarter to be sought after the world over by collectors. Many collectors would love to own a piece of American history such as the 200th anniversary of independence and owning a fossil such as this one that has such a specific defect in it is not something many can achieve. Such features like the two dates, the change of the reverse image to the eagle, and the doubling of the obverse all make the coin rather special. People are willing and ready to spend large sums to own these pieces, with some asserting that the value of the art pieces may even hit 5 million dollars. This ordinary number gets collected by enthusiasts, which in turn boosts the market appeal and hence the value of the coin.
Don’t Overlook Your Spare Change
Old coins may also be of great value to any person with a chance of finding them, just in case they have some stored somewhere. The George Washington Bicentennial Quarter with a double-struck obverse is a living testimony to how an ordinary-looking coin may be a collector’s item. If your coin does not even have this error or Vice President hub, bicentennial coins are valuable to collectors because of their historic value. This is good news to collectors, as they are always on the lookout for such coins, as their scarcity is likely to make their prices go up. Therefore, the next time you use a 25-cent coin to purchase something, take your time and look at that coin in your hand—it is worth millions of dollars.