Did you just find a Washington Quarter from 1984 and wonder how much it’s worth? Or maybe you’re considering adding one to your collection, and you just don’t know what variety to choose.
Whatever your query, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll discuss the estimated value of various 1984 Quarters and point you to the most profitable varieties.
A 1984 Quarter in circulated condition is worth about 30-85 cents. I know that’s nothing to write home about. But prices go higher with the condition of the coin. Uncirculated examples can sell for as high as $4,500 in MS68 condition.
So you can get the gist of the figures we’ve just mentioned, below is a valuation summary featuring 1984 Quarters of various conditions.
1984 Quarter Valuation Chart
| 1984 Quarter Condition | Mint Variety | ||
| 1984-P Quarter | 1984-D Quarter | 1984-S Quarter | |
| Good (G4) | $0.30 | $0.30 | – |
| Fine (F12) | $0.30 | $0.30 | – |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $0.30 | $0.30 | – |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1.50 | $1.50 | $1.15 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS65) | $12.5 | $25 | $8.50 |
Source: NGC, 2023
1984 Quarter: Historical Background
The 1984 Quarter is the 53rd iteration of the Washington Quarter, a coin series that has been running since 1932. We call them Washington quarters because they bear the likeness of the first U.S. President, George Washington. The first Washington Quarter was struck in 1932 to mark what would have been George Washington’s 200th birthday.
The 1930s Washington Quarters were affected by the lowering of the reverse rim, exposing the coin to a lot of wear. Crude polishing practices on the dies also took out a lot of detail from the obverse, smoothening George Washington’s portrait.
The U.S. Mint made adjustments in the 70s, lowering the relief and sharpening a few details. Thanks to these adjustments, the 1984 Quarter is sharper than the Washington Quarters of the ’50s and ’60s.
1984 Quarter: Physical Features
The 1984 Quarter is a silver-colored coin with zero silver content. Thanks to the Coinage Act of 1965, the U.S. Mint struck Washington Quarters on cupronickel-clad planchets.
The coin’s core is made of copper, and the outer layer is a mixture of copper and nickel. These planchets were famously called the “Johnson Sandwich” after then-Commander in Chief Lyndon B. Johnson.
Below is a summary of the 1984 Quarter’s key physical attributes:
1984 Quarter: Physical Characteristics
| Physical Feature | Notes |
| Color | Silver |
| Metallic Composition | 91.67% Copper
8.33% Nickel |
| Weight | 5.67 grams |
| Diameter | 24.26 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
Obverse Design and Features
It’s not uncommon for the U.S. Mint to turn to competitions to find designs worthy of U.S. coinage. And that’s what they did in the buildup to the release of the 1932 Washington Quarter, not once but twice.
The first round of the competition was won by Laura Gardin Fraser. After feeling sidelined from the process, the Treasury Department decided to hold a separate round of competitions, where John Flanagan’s design came out on top.
In his design, John Flanagan included the following:
- A central left-facing portrait of George Washington
- The word “LIBERTY;” arching along the coin’s upper rim
- The motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” is on the lower left field of the coin
- The year of issue “1984” arches along the lower rim of the coin
- The mint mark is on the lower right field, just behind George Washington’s ponytail
Laura Fraser’s design was not a complete waste as it was adopted on the obverse of the American Women Quarters. There’s no better way of honoring American women than to feature a design created by an American woman.
Reverse Design and Features
The reverse of the 1984 Washington Quarter was also the work of John Flanagan, and it contains the following elements:
- A central bald eagle, perching on a bundle of arrows with its wings spread out
- Two olive branches intersect below the bird’s tail
- The denomination “QUARTER DOLLAR” arches along the lower rim of the coin.
- The motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM” is directly above the eagle’s left-facing head
- The country of issue, “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” arches over the bald eagle
1984 Quarter: Varieties and Valuation
The 1984 Quarter had three mint mark varieties, including:
1984-P Quarter Value
- U.S. Mint: Philadelphia
- Mintage: 676,545,000
- Mintmark: P
In 1984, the Philadelphia Mint was a busy bee, pumping out more than 676 million quarters. Most of these coins were released for circulation, so they will be worn and not so great-looking. But there are still some pristine examples out there.
So, what is a 1984-P Quarter worth?
Circulated 1984-P Washington Quarter is worth anywhere between 30 cents and 85 cents, depending on condition. For example, a 1984-P Quarter in good condition is worth 30 cents, while another in about uncirculated condition will be worth north of 40 cents. The better the condition, the higher the value.
In this variety, the most valuable examples will be uncirculated quarters in mint state. These coins will have very little wear and only a few scratches. Uncirculated 1984-P Quarters are worth between $1.50 and $550.
An MS60 is valued by NGC at $1.50 in its base condition and $2 in the MS60+ condition. NGC lists MS67 as their highest-graded example of the 1984 Quarter, and they value such coins at $550.
PCGS, on the other hand, has encountered finer coins, as MS68 is the finest condition they’ve ever graded, and they value such 1984 Quarters at a jaw-dropping $4,500.
Below is a summary of the estimated value of various grades of the 1984-P Quarter.
| 1984-P Quarter Condition | Estimated Value |
| Good (G4) | $0.30 |
| Very Good (G8) | $0.30 |
| Fine (F12) | $0.30 |
| Very Fine (F20) | $0.30 |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $0.30 |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $0.40 |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1.50 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS65) | $12.50 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS67) | $550 |
Source: NGC, 2023
It’s important to note that the figures above are only the estimated value of these coins. Once they hit the auction block, prices soar beyond these estimates. Auctions are about who wants the coin more.
A prime example is a 1984-P Quarter that sold in a 2016 auction for $1,292.5. This 1984 Quarter is graded a brilliant MS67 and features the slightest golden patina on the reverse. The obverse is colored in a frosty silver hue.
Auctions can also disappoint as certain coins can fail to realize their estimated values. A great example is another MS67 example that sold for a disappointing $188. There’s nothing physically wrong with the coin; bids just weren’t flying that day.
1984-D Quarter Value
- U.S. Mint: Denver
- Mintage: 546,483,064
- Mintmark: D
Hot on the heels of the Philly Mint is the Denver Mint, which struck a little more than 546 million coins. Without a huge production gap between the two, circulated 1984-D Quarters are just as valuable as similar-condition 1984-P Quarters.
In reference to the figure on the NGC website, circulated 1984-D quarters are worth 30 to 85 cents, depending on condition. A 1984-D Quarter in good to extremely fine condition will fetch 30 cents.
The value of about-uncirculated quarters will depend on the grading. An AU50-graded quarter is worth 40 cents, while a slightly better AU58+ quarter will fetch 85 cents.
As you would expect, prices increase the higher the coin’s grade. Mint condition 1984-D Quarters are worth at least $1.50 in MS60 condition. The finest examples graded by NGC are MS67s, and they are worth $550.
Below is a highlight of the estimated value of 1984-D Quarters of various grades.
| 1984-D Quarter Condition | Estimated Value |
| Good (G4) | $0.30 |
| Very Good (G8) | $0.30 |
| Fine (F12) | $0.30 |
| Very Fine (F20) | $0.30 |
| Extremely Fine (XF40) | $0.30 |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $0.40 |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1.50 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS65) | $25 |
| Brilliant Uncirculated (MS67) | $550 |
Source: NGC, 2023
At auctions, coins don’t sell as we expect them to; sometimes they surprise us and other times they disappoint. One 1984-D Quarter that blew its valuation out of the water is an MS67-graded coin that sold for $780. It was a fine example with no visible damage or discoloration.
1984-S Proof Quarter Value
- U.S. Mint: San Francisco
- Mintage: 3,065,110
- Mintmark: S
Since 1975, the San Francisco Mint has only been striking proof coins. These coins attracted collectors, who tucked them away in their pristine condition. So, they will be in mint condition.
NGC estimates the value of 1984-S Proof Quarters to be anywhere between $1.15 and $90, depending on the coin’s condition. A 1984-S Proof Quarter with a grade of MS60 is valued at $1.15. A similar coin in the slightly better condition of MS65 is worth $8.50. A pristine MS70 quarter is worth $90.
As you have probably noticed, these numbers are not as impressive as the valuation of the 1984-P and 1984-D quarters.
Apart from a coin’s condition and general appearance, coin values are also driven by supply and demand. In this case, there are thousands of uncirculated 1984-S Proof Quarters. NGC alone has graded 1034 proof coins, all in mint condition. PCGS has graded over 8,000 proof coins.
Now compare these numbers to the 124 Denver quarters that NGC has graded MS60 or better. Or the 231 Philadelphia quarters that NGC graded MS60 or better.
Below is a summary of the estimated value of 1984-S Quarters of various grades:
| 1984-S Quarter Condition | Estimated Value |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $1.15 |
| Uncirculated (MS61) | $2.50 |
| Uncirculated (MS62) | $3.50 |
| Uncirculated (MS63) | $4.80 |
| Uncirculated (MS64) | $6 |
| Uncirculated (MS65) | $8.50 |
| Uncirculated (MS66) | $9.50 |
| Uncirculated (MS67) | $10.50 |
| Uncirculated (MS68) | $15 |
| Uncirculated (MS69) | $18.75 |
| Uncirculated (MS70) | $90 |
Source: NGC, 2023
Notable sales of 1984-S Proof Quarters include a PR70DCAM-graded coin that sold in 2003 for $380. This coin is nothing short of perfect, complete with a deep cameo and a perfect grade.
1984 Quarter: Valuable Error 1984 Quarters
The 1984 Quarter yielded some interesting error coins. Below are some notable examples:
1. 1984-P Quarter Struck on an Improperly-Annealed Planchet: Selling for $1,403.24
Annealing is the heat treatment that combines the metals of the clad. If a planchet is improperly annealed, it runs the risk of unraveling in the future. The Johnson Sandwich in this particular coin is already falling apart, revealing its copper core.
2. 1984-P Quarter Struck Through Grease: Selling for $250
Sometimes, grease gets in the way when striking coins. Grease prevents metal from completely filling the wells and grooves of the die. What is left is a coin with blobs of metal on its details. In this 1984 Quarter, the blobs appear on the date “1984” and the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
3. 1984-P Quarter Struck Through Grease: Selling for $300
Here’s another example of a coin struck through grease. This error is more severe on this coin as it has blobs on its letters and numbers (on both faces). This coin may not be graded, but by scratches on the surface, you can tell it was heavily circulated.
4. 1984-P Quarter with Misplaced Mint Mark: Selling for $249.98
The mint mark is the last piece of the design. It is punched into the die by hand. The case of a misplaced die occurs when the mint mark is punched in the wrong spot. There’s a considerable distance between this coin’s P-mint mark and George Washington’s ponytail.
5. 1984-P Quarter with Strike Though Erough and a misplaced Mint Mark: Selling at $19.99
This coin has the best of the two errors we’ve covered: a Strike-Through Error and a Misplaced Mint Mark. The coin appears to have been struck through grease, affecting the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the P mint mark. The “I” and “N” in “IN GOD WE TRUST” are combined in a blob of metal while the “P” mint mark is filled in.
1984 Quarter: Is it Worth Collecting
The 1984 Quarter is not such a valuable coin. A key driver to this reality is that the coin has been in circulation for only three decades, which is not enough time to deem a coin rare.
There are still plenty of 1984 Quarters in circulation today. For you to demand a substantial amount, the coin has to be in near-pristine condition. The notable sales we’ve featured in this article were the finest of their kind, which was the main reason why they sold that much.
If you want to add a 1984 Quarter to your collection, we recommend going for mint condition examples. The higher the grade, the better.
Jenson is a professional numismatist, a dedicated coin collector, a graduate of the College of Business at Oregon State, a life member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and an overall coin nerd. He is the founder of Coin Value List.