Years
Designer
John Flanagan
Composition
90% silver, 10% copper
Diameter
24.3 mm
Mass
6.25 g
Thickness
1.75 mm
Edge
Reeded
Mints
Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Metal
Silver
Design
Washington after Houdon’s bust, intended as a one-year bicentennial. Reverse an eagle with arrows and olive. The portrait proved too useful to retire.
History
Flanagan beat Laura Gardin Fraser in the final selection — a decision still argued. 1932-D and 1932-S are the keys. No quarters in 1933. Silver ended mid-1964 as bullion prices and vending-machine politics collided. The same obverse then ran in clad, then through State, ATB, and American Women programs, making Washington the longest-running circulating portrait after Lincoln.
Key dates
Varieties
1932-D · 1932-D
design · key
1932-S · 1932-S
design · key
1937-P · 1937 doubled die obverse
doubled die · scarce
1950-D · 1950-D/S
overmintmark · scarce
84 issues