Here Are 6 Quarters You Should Never Spend - They Could Pay for Your Retirement

Just about every quarter is worth twenty-five cents flat. But a few lucky savers can make money from home by scouring their wallet or coin jar and finding a rare quarter that rakes in thousands of times its original value.

For the most part, these quarters aren't valuable because of the year they were printed. Instead, they're valuable because of pressing errors or printing mistakes. Keep reading to learn how to identify valuable quarters lurking in your spare change drawer, including what you need to check to find out what your quarter is really worth.

2020-W Weir Farm quarter

Estimated market value: Up to $750

If you look at the "heads" side of quarters printed before 1965 or after 1967, you should see a small letter called a mint mark indicating where the coin was pressed. You'll most commonly see a "P" for Philadelphia, "S" for San Francisco, or "D" for Denver, but around 10 million America the Beautiful quarters pressed in 2019 and 2020 have a "W" on them for West Point.

The West Point Mint usually prints commemorative coins only, so using the facility to print 2 million copies each of five different America the Beautiful coins was a bit of a gimmick to get collectors excited about circulating coins.

The West Point Weir Farm quarter from 2020 shows a painter with an easel facing a small farmhouse surrounded by trees. A mint condition copy of this coin could be worth anywhere from $450 to $750, but a circulated version is valued at more like $10 to $70.

2019-W Lowell quarter, strike-through error

Estimated market value: $700

The Lowell America the Beautiful coins printed by West Point in 2019 and 2020 depict a woman working at the Lowell factory in Massachusetts. One iteration of this coin printed in 2019 has a "strike-through error," or a printing error stemming from debris getting trapped between two layers when the coin is being pressed. In this case, some Lowell quarters have an odd indentation along Washington's hair on the "heads" side of the coin.

If you find a Lowell quarter from 2019 with the West Point mint mark, examine the coin under a microscope to identify the strike-through mark (it isn't clear to the naked eye). A museum-quality version of this coin was once listed for sale at $700, though the seller eventually accepted the best offer, which could have come in lower than the asking price.

2004-D Wisconsin 50 States quarter "extra leaf" error

Estimated market value: Up to $6,000 (mint condition)

Some Wisconsin state coins printed in Denver in 2004 were subject to a printing error that makes the coins more valuable than other 50-state quarters. On the "tails" side — which showcases a cow, an ear of corn, and a round of cheese — some 2004 coins show an extra leaf on the sheaf of corn. The "low leaf" variety has this extra leaf on the lower left side of the ear while the "high leaf" version has an extra one on the upper left side.

A museum-condition version of the "low leaf" coin could sell for between $2,220 and $6,000 at auction. However, you're much more likely to find a circulated coin with regular wear and tear, which would net you much less (likely no more than $110).

2007 Wyoming quarter, "pooping horse" die-chip error

Estimated market value: Up to $80

Wyoming's state quarter features the silhouette of a bucking horse being ridden by a cowboy. Some of these coins experienced a die-chip error, which occurs when the striking die used in the pressing gets chipped off and creates a small gap. When metal fills in this gap, it results in a lightly raised blob — and in this Wyoming quarter's case, that blob appears right between the horse's hindquarters and raised tail, causing some internet commentators to refer to this as the "pooping horse" die-chip error.

This error is mostly treated as a novelty gag, so you won't rake in huge amounts of cash for finding one. $5 is the high-end price for a circulated coin in regular condition. However, a very clear, giggle-worthy printing error with a strikingly large (or ill-placed) die-chip error could go for as much as $80 to a buyer with the right sense of humor.

2007-P Idaho quarter, lamination bubbling error

Estimated market value: Up to $915

Some Philadelphia-printed Idaho state coins from 2007 experienced a lamination error during printing: after the coin was struck, impurities in the metal caused the surface to bubble and solidify as raised blisters on the coin's depiction of a peregrine falcon. A high-quality version of this coin sold for $915 in 2021, but coins with more wear could bring in $50 to $300.

2007-D Utah state quarter, die-chip error

Estimated market value: Up to $1,035

Utah state coins with this error are considered valuable because the error is apparent on both the heads and tails side of the coin. You'll see blobs around the trains approaching the Golden Spike on the reverse side and around George Washington's head on the obverse side. While one coin went for $1,035 at a 2022 auction, versions of the coin with less obvious errors might go for as little as $10.

Bottom line

If you find one of the quarters we listed above, it's fair to think you'll get ahead financially — but don't count your chickens before they hatch. First, check eBay and speciality sites like APMEX to see the actual prices of confirmed sales and better understand what your coin could go for.

Try not to be too disheartened if eBay sales indicate your rare quarter will sell for $25, not $2,500. Every cent you earn by selling a quarter for more than face value is a win for your bank account.

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